Animal welfare cutter wins hearts of farmers

The Green alderman Meret Schneider (30, ZH) continues to cause red heads among the farmers. For example, when she argues for stricter measures in livestock farming, accuses farmers of excessive use of antibiotics and wants to cut subsidies for the egg industry. Or as co-initiator of the now failed factory farming initiative.

But Schneider can do it differently. In the winter session, she submitted two motions that also warm the hearts of farmers. Not only the top farmer and middle national councilor Markus Ritter (55, SG) signed both approaches, but also the SVP farmers Andreas Aebi (64, BE) and Alois Huber (60, AG).

Animal rights activist Schneider is tackling an issue that has long vexed farmers: litter in their pastures and fields. “Disposing of cans, plastic waste and cigarette packaging not only leads to environmental pollution, but also repeatedly leads to the death of animals in nature and agriculture,” complains the Greens in their litter motion.

Refuse to pay sinners harder

Pieces of aluminum in particular cause death in cows, for example. Because the aluminum cans, which are barely visible in the tall grass, enter the stomachs of the animals as sharp and harmful foreign substances via the feed. “The animals suffer internal injuries and there is inflammation and pain,” says Schneider.

Waste sinners should therefore come to the checkout more often. Schneider asks the Bundesrat to take measures to impose stricter sanctions and more efficiently prevent the dumping and illegal dumping of waste in agricultural and semi-natural areas. “In particular, the cantons should be obliged to punish litter with fines,” the National Council demands.

strengthen direct marketing

With another motion, Schneider wants to strengthen the farmers’ market power. The Federal Council must ensure that access to direct marketing is simplified. Currently, only a good quarter of companies also use direct marketing for their products.

The resident of Zurich wants to change that. “There are financial incentives conceivable, the development of sales channels such as public catering facilities or the removal of hurdles related to food law requirements for nutritional information, which entail a disproportionate amount of bureaucracy,” she writes.

It goes without saying that Schneider also has ecological interests in mind, because direct marketing leads to sustainable consumption. “It is important to keep environmental costs such as transport routes, food waste and energy losses in the processing process as low as possible,” says GroenLinks. “These are good reasons to promote direct marketing more than currently planned.”