Farmers President Markus Ritter on farmers’ incomes: “Wages are scary; many farmers feel lonely”

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Farmers’ wages are a matter of debate. As can be seen from the Federal Council’s report on the income of farming families, they have been earning less lately. Earnings per hour are 17 francs.

“The report shows the facts well,” the farmers’ chairman, Markus Ritter (56), tells Blick. In the end, what matters is not what the entire company earns, but what is actually left over per employee. “And on average 17 francs per hour, that’s very little.”

Since often the entire family is involved in the farm, the family’s annual earnings per working unit (FJAE) is particularly important. In 2022, this dropped by 6.3 percent to 56,100 francs. “This worries me a lot,” Ritter says. On the one hand, bureaucracy needs to be reduced; The burden of office work continues to increase in recent years. “And we must raise producer prices by at least five percent so that there is something left for the companies.”

Fight for higher prices

Ritter’s belief is clear: “If our costs go up, you have to be able to pass that on; otherwise I’ll see black things.” As a first step, St. Gallen Central National Council wants to strengthen the negotiating team fighting for higher prices for farmers.

The suffering of farmers is great. “Wages are terrible; many farmers feel isolated.” Switzerland can see this in the numerous protests over the last few days and weeks. «These surprised me a little too. “The fact that there is a desire to do this shows how great the grassroots concerns really are.”

Ritter feels “a certain pressure” when it comes to price negotiations. “Results will be visible in the coming weeks and months,” he promises.

Cuts to direct payments impact farmers in the mountains

The report highlights large regional differences: agricultural income in the valley region in 2021 was around 100,000 francs per year; this was 37 percent higher than in the hill region and 63 percent higher than in the mountain region. “Productivity is lower in the mountains, investments are higher,” Ritter explains. It is more costly to build and maintain a barn on steep terrain.

In return, mountain companies receive significantly higher direct payments. “The Federal Council now wants to reduce this by 2025, which will seriously affect farmers in the mountain regions.” Ritter’s request: “It shouldn’t come to this.”

Source :Blick