1.2 million direct payments: how much farmers collect in the state legislature

Farmers already receive direct payments from tax revenues – not least the rural parliamentarians: they alone received almost 1.2 million francs last year, according to information from Blick based on the law on public information.

Two parliamentarians want to keep the amount of their direct payments secret, namely the SVP land council members Thomas Stettler (54) and Didier Calame (51). The frontrunner among those receiving direct payments is a party friend of the two, the Vaud SVP national councilor Sylvain Freymond (39) – he receives almost 170,000 francs a year from tax revenues. There are 230 cattle on his farm: 80 cows for milk production, 30 for meat production and 120 calves. Freymond shows great understanding for the farmers’ protests: “The bureaucracy is eating us up. We need fewer guidelines, less administration and fair wages.”

The Milk Industry Organization (BOM) agreed on Friday to pay three cents more for every liter of milk, but only from July. Farmers’ representatives had demanded an immediate price increase of four cents. Freymond warns about a milk bill: “We actually only get half a cent more. Because last year we lost two cents – and half a cent goes to butter. Of course, half a cent more is better than nothing, but that could be just the beginning.” Freymond emphasizes that direct payments are not a gift, but rather compensation for water protection and ecological work. He is convinced that farmers deserve more appreciation and higher wages.

There is no legal basis for short-term increases

Markus Ritter (56), chairman of the Swiss Farmers’ Association, demands from the demonstrators: Demos, yes, but please in a friendly way. The Center National Council wants to prevent the climate glue effect: With militant actions, the activists have messed up with the population, even though the majority wants to protect the climate.

In 2022, Ritter received 83,262 francs in direct payments. He has now transferred the farm to his sons Adrian and Daniel, so no more figures have been recorded for 2023. Ritter is convinced: the three-cent increase is “only a first step towards better coverage of our additional milk costs. Further steps must follow.” For other products, says Ritter, “prices must be five to ten percent higher. Negotiations on this must now be conducted intensively.

Trade association BOM called on the federal government on Friday to increase the cheese-making allowance by three cents per kilogram of milk “to improve the tense economic situation of milk producers.” Federal councilor Guy Parmelin (64) rejected this request in an interview with Blick. There is no legal basis for short-term increases. The law sets the cheese making fee at 15 centimes.

“Until there is a parliamentary decision on a corresponding amendment to the agricultural law, the cheese-making allowance cannot be increased,” says Parmelin. “Increasing the cheese-making fee by three cents would cost taxpayers an estimated additional R50 to R60 million.” The SVP Federal Council is convinced that an increase in the medium term would have a negative effect on the balance between cheese production and butter supply. “An increase in the cheese production fee would weaken domestic butter production. The security of supply of domestic butter would be jeopardized in the long term.”