Sonnleitner wants to see animal and environmental protection anchored in the WTO

Appeal to the federal government not to overdo it nationally

The President of the German Farmers' Association (DBV), Gerd Sonnleitner, assessed the appointment of New Zealander Timothy Groser as the new Chairman of the Agriculture Committee of the World Trade Conference with a certain hope, but also with concern. Groser succeeds Stuart Harbinson. At the farmers' day in Schwäbisch-Hall / Hohenlohe, Sonnleitner explained that the New Zealanders, as members of the Cairns group, which advocates more free trade, are more moderate than the Australians. Nevertheless, he fears that the WTO agricultural negotiations would almost exclusively focus again on the classic trade issues of market access, internal support and export aid. Therefore everything has to be done so that the convincing concept of the European agricultural model of multifunctional agriculture "does not fade in the agricultural negotiations".

In the previous WTO negotiations, German and European farmers and European society in particular lacked statements on how the standards in animal, nature and environmental protection as well as food safety in world trade could be safeguarded, emphasized Sonnleitner. German agriculture has an existential interest in such anchoring. The DBV President therefore again called on the Federal Government and the governing coalitions that support it to forcefully demand this in the WTO negotiations on the European Commission. After all, German farmers earn 60 percent of their income from keeping animals. Including the upstream and downstream economic sectors, animal husbandry in the agriculture and food industry ensures around 2,5 million jobs and accounts for around 4 percent of gross value added. If the high standards in animal husbandry and environmental protection introduced in recent years were not safeguarded at the international level by the WTO, the incomes and livelihoods of local agriculture would be endangered.

Without a doubt, the European Union has created an advantageous negotiating position for the WTO negotiations through the EU agricultural reform, the national implementation of which is currently being discussed in parliament, Sonnleitner stated. Due to the requirements of the WTO, the direct payments could no longer have been maintained in the previous form, i.e. linked to production. But the federal and state governments should not go overboard nationally, especially when it comes to cross compliance. If sustainability consists of the parts ecological precaution, social responsibility and economic profitability, then all three goals for market-oriented animal husbandry must also apply. But those who unilaterally focus on environmental protection and animal welfare nationally, but only allow the laws of the economy worldwide, should not be surprised that in the end the economic basis of local farmers is no longer sufficient and numerous farms have to give up animal husbandry.

Source: Berlin [dbv]