Miesbach - Farmers in the district of Miesbach are also concerned about the fact that tethering for animal welfare must be abolished.
Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber now came up for discussion.
The cows of organic farmer Johann Waldschütz are on the pasture whenever the weather permits.
It is one of the typical Upper Bavarian farms with a so-called combination husbandry, in which the cattle are tied up in the stables, but usually on the pasture for more than half of the year.
To talk about it, more than 20 farmers, representatives of agricultural associations and the district office recently gathered on the farm at the invitation of civil courage Miesbach.
Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber had also come - after all, after her government statement in May, there was a clear need to talk about keeping things tied.
Indispensable for the Bavarian cultural landscape
"Combined farming is not dying," was Kaniber's clear commitment to the farmers. The differences arose from the announcement in their government statement that year-round tethering must be ended as soon as possible. “That was expressed in a misleading way. Of course the word was there all year round, but I stupidly overread it, "said Kaniber and added in the same breath:" I never talked about the abolition of the combination posture. "
According to the minister, this is indispensable and right for the Bavarian cultural landscape.
But it is also a fact that agriculture has to adapt in order to keep pace with changed consumer behavior: “My goal is to preserve as many farms as possible.
That's why I don't want to have a rude awakening and then someone accuse me of glossing over something, ”she explains.
Presented as a retail icon
The background to this is that some dairies and grocery chains are already advertising non-tethered dairy products. This is exactly where the farmers asked for political support. Georg Eham, part-time farmer from Agatharied, accused the minister of having presented herself as an icon of the retail trade with her statements: “We know what it's about, but consumers mostly don't.” In Eham's opinion, it has to be unloaded again the farmers, as in the referendum on species protection.
Organic farmer Leonhard Obermüller expressed a similar opinion, who expects a clarification and clear positioning on the part of politicians: “We explain the combination posture to the people and holidaymakers who come to us and they think it's good how we do it.
Also because we have a much better human-animal bond than in a giant playpen.
But we cannot provide enlightenment on a large scale. "
Demand: work for the farmers
There was also criticism from the district farmer, Marlene Hupfauer.
She misses the fact that in the urban-rural conflict someone on the part of the government stands up for the farmers and explains clearly to the townspeople why not all of their wishes for idyllic farms can be fulfilled.
Like the previous speakers, Hupfauer advocated the fact that the combined housing must be clearly differentiated from the tethered housing.
Naturland's expert adviser Peter Manusch suggested that the term combined farming should only be used when grazing for more than 120 days per year.
Contribution to the preservation of the landscape
The farmers received support from the district administration.
As Josef Faas from the Lower Nature Conservation Authority noted, the combination farming makes an extremely important contribution to the preservation of the landscape.
District master builder Christian Boiger warned against paving the village structures with huge pens: "Otherwise we won't recognize our villages in 20 years." To enable the animals to run out, minor alterations could be implemented.
As Kaniber said, work is already being carried out on easing the strict requirements. She was appalled and disappointed by the contradicting choice of words that Miesbach's moral courage used in the invitation: “Whoever works like this scares farmers. On the contrary, that doesn't get us any further. ”In her closing remarks, she asked:“ Let's talk honestly and fight together. ”
Hac
