The German Farmers' Association DBV believes that the State has a duty of care not only for the lives of humans and animals, but also for food security and climate protection.
According to the DBV, the four concepts of humans, animals, food, and climate should be included in a single article in the Constitution. A new Future Vision advocates for a new partnership between food and agriculture.
The new DBV Future Vision is primarily a proposal to German politicians, barely four months before the federal elections at the end of September. The note also appears during a period of great uncertainty among many German farmers; within the agricultural sectors, conflicting interests and disagreements are becoming increasingly frequent.
The draft presented on Wednesday is also seen as a 'counterpoint' and 'alternative' to the report of the so-called Agricultural Commission for the Future (ZKL). This commission was established by Chancellor Angela Merkel and will make recommendations for a sustainable agricultural system in June. It is expected that the commission will come up with some far-reaching recommendations.
DBV chairman Rukwied emphasized that with its future concept, the DBV does not wish to compete with the possible recommendations of the ZKL, but that its agricultural sector initiative aims to stimulate more intensive discussion and better guidance.
German politics is currently actively debating a new animal welfare law (from SPD Environment Minister Svenja Schulze) and a new Agricultural Act (from CDU Minister of Food and Agriculture Julia Klöckner). It is already clear that agricultural issues will be an important part of the German election campaign.
“We German farmers do not only produce high-quality and safe food, but also provide numerous services in the areas of environment, climate, and biodiversity. However, we farmers increasingly find ourselves under pressure due to the current political and economic framework. Many farmers now doubt the sustainability of agriculture in Germany. That must change again,” Rukwied continued.
The proposal includes, among other things, that the State makes more funds available for agriculture and livestock farming, but that no obligations are imposed on production methods. Requirements for increased biodiversity in agriculture and forest management may only be implemented voluntarily, it is emphasized.
Given the numerous challenges currently facing German agriculture, DBV chairman Rukwied is convinced that this concept can be an important step for the future of agriculture: “We need clear commitments that agriculture, food security, and sustainability are inseparably linked. With our concept, we want to take a step toward the future of agriculture.”
https://www.bauernverband.de/dbv-positionen/positionen-beschluesse/position/zukunftskonzept-2021