Mercosur Agreement: Accompanying Measures Are Essential

The Agricultural Chamber (LAKA), the parliament of the Swiss Farmers' Union (SBV), discussed the planned free trade agreement with the Mercosur states and its impact on agriculture. Meanwhile, the Federal Council forwarded the message regarding this to Parliament. The LAKA reached a clear conclusion: the proposed agreement makes concessions at the expense of domestic agriculture and has economic impacts on the affected sectors. Therefore, effective accompanying measures are essential to make the agreement viable. The Agricultural Chamber demands additional resources for structural improvements as well as for marketing, and expects the Federal Council to provide a binding plan on this before parliamentary consultation. The agreement is also not compatible with cost-cutting measures at the expense of agriculture, as the relief program proposes. A final assessment of the Mercosur Agreement will be made by the SBV once the concrete accompanying measures are available.

Great Concerns About the Market Situations in Milk, Pork, and Wine

The situation in various agricultural markets is also of great concern to the LAKA. The dairy, pork, and wine sectors are in a particularly difficult phase. The reasons for this are varied and diverse. For the SBV, it is important to quickly stabilize these markets and boost sales. The SBV supports the various industry and market players in finding and implementing effective solutions through various short- and long-term relief measures, but also through better import control. The agricultural community calls on large retailers and the catering industry to better position and actively promote domestic offerings. Everyone can help the agricultural sector by preferring domestic products, especially cheese or wine, in everyday life.

Lumpy Skin Disease: Solidarity and Support Needed

Lumpy skin disease, following several outbreaks last year in neighboring foreign countries, threatens the health of Swiss cattle and the economic viability of the dairy market. Preventing an infection in Switzerland is therefore a top priority. The ban issued last week by the Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs on pasturing animals in neighboring foreign countries hits the affected Western Swiss farms and approximately 6,000 animals hard. Considering the total stock of 1.5 million cattle, the measure is proportionate; nonetheless, solidarity is now required. The efforts of individual animal owners for the good of all must be recognized and should not be punished. Therefore, it is incomprehensible that the announcement of the ban was not accompanied by accompanying measures. The SBV, in collaboration with the cantonal farmers' unions, AGORA, and the Swiss Alpine Agricultural Association (SAV), the federal government, and the cantons, is advocating for temporary relaxations of legal requirements for the affected farms in both valley and summer pasturing areas. Furthermore, financial support is needed for the affected farms to cover the costs of purchasing feed or extended transport routes. Finally, it calls on all summer pasturing farms to make available summer pasturing spaces visible on the soon-available online platform on the SAV website zalp.ch.

Queries:
- Martin Rufer, Director SBV, Mobile 078 803 45 54
- Michel Darbellay, Deputy Director SBV, Mobile 078 801 16 91
- Nadine Trottmann, Head of International Affairs SBV, Tel. 056 462 50 14

Editor's note: Image rights belong to the respective publisher.