Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung
Osnabruck (ots)
Agriculture: CDU/CSU parliamentary group wants to set aside less arable land
Motion in the Bundestag: Farmers should be relieved of EU requirements
Osnabruck. The Union is calling on the federal government to permanently exempt German farmers from the obligation to set aside around four percent of their arable land for nature conservation. The CDU/CSU parliamentary group wants to decide on a corresponding application this Tuesday and bring it to the Bundestag on Thursday, as the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” (NOZ) learned from the parliamentary group.
The agricultural and food policy spokesman for the Union faction, Albert Stegemann, who started the initiative, told the “NOZ”: “Production restrictions through the set-aside of arable land are completely the wrong way.” The production of high-quality food in Europe must have top priority. Especially since famine is to be expected worldwide because of the war. Stegemann said: “Less farming means higher prices, both in our supermarkets and on the world markets.” Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) must finally act.
This is about European regulations: Farmers who want to benefit from EU agricultural subsidies must leave four percent of the arable land fallow for nature conservation. Because of the war in Ukraine, the EU Commission had given the EU member states the option of suspending this provision this year, which the traffic light coalition had done. However, the Union – like the farmers’ associations – would like to permanently abolish this obligation from 2024. The government should campaign for this in Brussels, according to the present application.
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