Direct payments under the microscope: more and more farms receive more than 300,000 francs

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On Saturday evening there is a farmers’ meeting in Wolhusen in the canton of Lucerne. In a ‘wake-up call’, the farmers want to show in a peaceful manner that ‘you can’t do everything with us’. It’s about fair payment for agricultural products and more appreciation – and better wages.

In 2022, the average agricultural income was 79,700 francs per farm per year, according to a recently published report by the Federal Council (the most important facts about farm income can be found here).

Direct payments are currently in the news and in debates. New figures now show that more and more farms are receiving very high direct payments. We are talking about direct payments of more than 300,000 francs per year that companies received. Last year there were 139 farms – an increase of 46 percent compared to 2020, as the Tamedia newspapers write, citing federal figures.

The image of the farmers could suffer as a result

The highest payouts in three individual cases were 1.23 million, 1.14 million and 0.9 million francs. The Federal Office of Agriculture emphasized that it involved three business communities, i.e. the association of several farmers. The number of farms receiving between R200,000 and R300,000 also grew from 505 to 676 – an increase of 34 percent.

These large buyers could – especially in times of protest – damage the image of all farmers and endanger the acceptance of direct payments by the population, write the Tamedia newspapers, citing farmers’ circles. “The social distribution of direct payments has been left out during the agricultural reforms of recent decades,” said Kilian Baumann, member of the Green National Council, himself an organic farmer and chairman of the small farmers’ association, in the newspaper report.

In total, more than 800 companies received more than 200,000 francs last year. With 41,600 companies nationwide, this is a small but growing minority of two percent.

One thing is clear: without direct payments, the lights would go out on more farms than is already the case. (uro/SDA)

Source:Blick