01/20/2023 17:40 (act. 01/20/2023 17:50)
Totschnig wants to build international alliances at Green Week ©APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT
Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) welcomes efforts towards a sustainable food system, but warns against neglecting goals such as farm profitability. The transformation must not only be ecological, but also eco-social, said the politician on the sidelines of Green Week in Berlin, which this year has as its theme the circular economy and the green turn in agriculture.
In Austria, a very good path is already being taken in this direction, the minister referred to the high proportion of organic areas in Austria or the comparatively high standards of animal welfare in this country. It is also confirmed by the new agro-environmental program (ÖPUL), which, with 90,000 applications for 2023, has been very well received by farmers.
As part of the Green Week agricultural fair, which revives the ecological zeitgeist, he wants to “forge alliances” and “fly the flag” at a European level, Totschnig said. However, it is important that the economic situation of agriculture in the context of multiple crises and the consequent security of supply do not lose sight of politics.
Specifically, Totschnig mentioned the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), which is being negotiated in the trialogue. In this context, the minister wants to campaign in favor of “active forest management”, which is the key to renewable energies and the reduction of fossil energy imports. For him, it is incomprehensible that there are plans to stop classifying sustainable biomass as renewable energy, at the same time that coal plants are being reactivated.
Another theme of the moment is the promotion of biodiversity and the restoration of ecosystems. According to Totschnig, this is an important concern for Austria. However, she rejects the fact that, on the other hand, agricultural areas are vacated on a large scale, because: “We need security of supply for Europe”.
In addition, Totschnig spoke about strengthening plant protection and a planned ban on plant protection products in sensitive areas, which is currently also on the EU agenda. In view of the many crises, an “extended impact assessment” is needed in this regard. Because here too, in the context of many crises, ecology should not be opposed to profitability, said the minister.
The President of the Chamber of Agriculture, Josef Moosbrugger (ÖVP), sounded a similar horn. Farmers currently face extremely volatile markets and high import prices, for example for fertilisers. Therefore, companies cannot be constantly confronted with new packages of demands, Moosbrugger criticized the Brussels policy, which “should put the finger in the wound where there are problems”. It is important not to confuse the different countries, especially as Austria has made enormous progress in animal welfare, environmental and biodiversity standards compared to other countries. Of course, he also fundamentally supports projects that aim to develop agriculture in the direction of greater sustainability.
The president of the ÖVP Farmers’ Association, Georg Strasser, also insisted on a balance between ecological and social or economic approaches. “Because that’s the only way our eco-social farming concept can succeed.” Furthermore, participation in programs like ÖPUL is not something that comes naturally, which is why its further development requires “practice-oriented legislation” and economic structure conditions that are sustainable for farmers.