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Green National Councilor Meret Schneider submitted two proposals in the winter session, which farmers also signed.
Ruedi StuderBundeshaus Editor
The Green National Councilor Meret Schneider (30, ZH) keeps causing red heads among the farmers. For example, when she calls for stricter animal husbandry measures, accuses farmers of overusing antibiotics and wants to cut subsidies for the egg industry. Or as a co-initiator of the now failed factory farming initiative.
But Schneider can do things differently. In the winter session, she submitted two motions that are also able to 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 takes up an issue that has long annoyed farmers: litter on their pastures and fields. “The throwing away of cans, plastic waste and cigarette packaging not only leads to environmental pollution, but also repeatedly to the deaths of animals in nature and in agriculture,” complains the Green Party in its littering motion.
Refuse sinners pay harder
Pieces of aluminum in particular cause deaths in cows, for example. Because the aluminum cans, which are barely visible in the long grass, get into the animals’ stomachs as sharp and harmful foreign substances via the feed. “The animals suffer internal injuries and there is inflammation and pain,” says Schneider.
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Waste sinners should therefore come more to the till. Schneider is asking the Federal Council to take measures that impose tougher sanctions on the dumping and illegal disposal of waste in agricultural and semi-natural zones and prevent it more efficiently. “In particular, the cantons should be obliged to punish littering with fines,” demands the National Councilor.
Strengthen direct marketing
With another motion, Schneider wants to strengthen the market power of the farmers. The Federal Council should ensure that entry into direct marketing is simplified. Currently, only a good quarter of the companies also use direct marketing for their products.
The Zurich native wants to change that. “Financial incentives would be conceivable, the development of sales channels such as public catering facilities or the removal of hurdles in relation 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 concerns in mind, since direct marketing leads to sustainable consumption. “It is important to minimize environmental costs such as transport routes, food waste and energy losses in the processing process,” says the Green Party. “These are good reasons to promote direct marketing more than is currently planned.”
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