Handing over their concerns to Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger (2nd from right): Franz Faltermeier and Bartholomäus Pfanzelt from the interest groups that support farmers on the groundwater bodies in the Dorfen and Buch am Erlbach area, as well as BBV district chairman Jakob Maier (from left). © J.Dziemballa
The red areas continue to be a contentious issue. District Administrator Martin Bayerstorfer and farmers from the region criticize the network of nitrate measuring points at the District Farmers' Day. Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger is supposed to help.
Pastetten – The dispute over the red areas in the Erdinger Land with excessive nitrate pollution in drinking water continues. As reported several times, farmers and politicians complain that there were too few measuring points and that they were also unsuitable. In their eyes, improvements need to be made. At the District Farmers' Day, those affected turned to Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (FW).
He had already been received by demonstrators in front of the marquee of the Pastetten fraternity, as part of whose 111th anniversary celebration the district farmers' day took place. "We need a reliable network of measuring points," one of their banners read.
This is exactly the demand made by District Administrator Martin Bayerstorfer (CSU). "The water management office and the state office for the environment have failed and carried out the determination of the red areas on the basis of incorrect data," he criticized and turned to the deputy prime minister: "I wait for us to finally see action." The district administrator recalled a conversation at the Green Week in Berlin: "You promised me that something would change. That was in January. And I am still confident that Minister Aiwanger will ensure that the whole thing is revised in the coming weeks."
Banners were used to demonstrate in front of the marquee. © Vroni Power
The fact that the data is not correct can be proven as a district. The water management office had been offered to make intensively farmed land available for measurement. "And if the values are corresponding, we agree. But not in sand pits or in clay pits, which have nothing to do with the input of agricultural management, whether mineral or organic," says Bayerstorfer.
As reported, two interest groups have been founded to support farmers on the groundwater bodies (GWK) in the Dorfen and Buch am Erlbach area. Their spokesmen also spoke out. Franz Faltermeier (GWK Vorlandmolasse Dorfen) explained that he represented a groundwater body that extends over three districts and for which exactly one measuring point is decisive – it is located directly on a clay pit and does not comply with the Implementing Ordinance to the Fertiliser Ordinance. "We have made the criticism several times," said Faltermeier, but Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber (FW) "blocked everything". In doing so, it can be proven that other measuring points in the immediate vicinity have good values.
The same situation was confirmed by Bartholomäus Pfanzelt for the GWK Buch am Erlbach. "But none of that counts. What we, as affected farmers, are calling for is a fair network of measuring points," said Pfanzelt, stressing that industry, municipalities and the population are just as responsible for groundwater as agriculture. The IG spokespersons submitted their request in writing to Aiwanger.
He said, "I'm doing everything I can." It was only on the same day that he spoke to Glauber on the phone, "and it is the case that we are now setting up more measuring points". In the past one to two years, more than 300 additional jobs have been installed, 1500 should be in the end – "so that not a single questionable measuring point puts entire regions under red territory, which means massive economic losses, although in my eyes it is not technically justified," said Aiwanger.
Instead of individual values, he demanded, one should look at the nutrient balance. What nitrogen does the farmer put on the land, how much does he drive away? Fertilization must then also be possible in red areas. "We now need 1000 companies in Bavaria that practice this balancing over a few years. Then Berlin must accept that Bavaria works with nutrient balance and not with questionable measuring points," said Aiwanger, but admitted: "I am not Jesus Christ who could implement this at the push of a button." To do this, he needs several ministries, the water management offices – and Berlin's politicians.
