Jakob Maier, Erdinger district chairman of the Bavarian Farmers' Association, raises serious allegations against the Green Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir.
Erding - "Animal husbandry is a huge construction site," explains Niederdinger in an interview with our newspaper.
Özedmir's goal is only superficially more sustainable animal husbandry.
In fact, he is probably concerned with further decimating the stocks through conditions and obstacles.
Because in the end it is the consumer who decides, "foreign producers are clearly preferred, and animal welfare there is far from being as good as it is here," says Maier.
Özdemir's policy is "hypocritical and mendacious", it is clearly at the expense of the German producers, without achieving anything for animal welfare overall.
Özdemir's policy "hypocritical and mendacious" - Niederdinger calls for the conversion of animal husbandry instead of dismantling
"Real conversion of animal husbandry instead of dismantling" must be the motto, according to the district chairman.
An example: the draft of the Animal Husbandry Labeling Act, which initially only applies to pig fattening.
The labeling is intended to show the consumer the conditions under which meat and sausage products were produced.
What annoys the farmers: Among other things, foreign products are completely excluded from the labeling requirement, as is all out-of-home consumption, for example in canteens and in restaurants.
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Niederdinger is annoyed - "Animal husbandry is only part of it"
Maier is also annoyed by the narrative that cattle in particular are drivers of climate change.
"Agriculture accounts for seven percent of German CO2 emissions, animal husbandry is only part of it," calculates Maier.
In addition, cattle give off methane, "and that breaks down within ten years, so it doesn't stay in the atmosphere."
Anyone who wants to decimate animal husbandry in Germany – “stocks have been declining for years anyway” – in order to help the climate, must be aware “that this will also be compensated by other countries in the EU.
We have the strictest regulations."
Maier also refers to the Mercosur agreement with South America, which includes the import of food.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz was just there.
"It is important to us that every food product that is imported into the EU must meet the same production standards as our domestic agriculture," demands Maier.
Criticism of Özdemir - "I want animal husbandry to remain in Germany"
The food supply is now global.
For the BBV district chairman it is clear: "I want animal husbandry to remain in Germany." Instead, he experiences this: "Promote cheap imports, destroy domestic animal husbandry, and then the whole thing goes to the citizens as a promotion of animal welfare - that is completely unacceptable.” They are open to reorganizing animal husbandry.
The one billion euros proposed by the ministry for four years is completely inadequate.
Maier refers to the agriculture-related Borchert Commission, which proposes four billion euros for one year - "because more animal welfare is associated with higher costs".
According to Maier, the level of nutrition is also up in the air with the planned change in the building code, which is necessary for the construction of new, more animal-friendly stables.
Maier's concern, in addition to his demand for simplified change permits: "It must be ensured that we do not have any problems with immission control if stables are built openly and odors develop in the neighborhood."
What is also burning on the farmers' nails are the red areas in the district of Erding with excessive nitrate pollution in the groundwater.
"We will set up the two interest groups whose goal is to create hydrogeological reports for suitable measuring points," says Maier.
It is important to have reliable results available as quickly as possible when the red areas are re-examined in two years' time.
The Ministry of the Environment has failed to do this for 20 years.
“We need to know whether the increased values actually come from agriculture.” As far as complaints are concerned, the district chairman points out “that these usually take a lot of time”.
Otherwise he welcomes this step.
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You can find more current news from the district of Erding at Merkur.de/Erding.