Suspension of agricultural policy 2022 plus

National Council joins the Council of States

mw. On 16 March, the National Council – albeit by a narrow margin of 100 votes to 95 with one abstention – joined the Council of States in suspending the Federal Council’s proposed agricultural policy for the years 2022 to 2025 “until the Federal Council has submitted a report in fulfilment of the postulate ‘Future orientation of agricultural policy’ (20.3931). According to the text of the postulate, this report should be available by 2022 at the latest”. (see Current Concerns of 2 March and 16 March 2021)
Fortunately, the National Council also approved the federal direct payments for farms (around CHF 13.5 billion for the next four years) by a large majority – 144 votes to 14 with 38 abstentions. (20.022 Agricultural policy from 2022, National Council debate of 16 March 2021)
In addition, the National Council adopted the postulate “Future orientation of agricultural policy. Supplementing the mandate to the Federal Council” of its Economic Affairs and Taxation Committees of the National Council (EATC), with the following welcome objectives:

“Promotion and support of direct sales and short distribution channels.
Measures against food waste, e.g. action against excessive standardisation of fruit and vegetables or other measures that could be included in the law.”

With the first demand, the National Council supports the local and sustainable production of domestic farms, in line with the recommendations of the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD). The demanded measures against food waste are of great urgency in a world where millions and millions of people are starving. Every individual is called upon to support them as a citizen or as an entrepreneur in food production or trade. (21.3015 Postulate, National Council debate of 16 March 2021). •