Swiss farmers protest cuts ‘at the expense of farming families’

Farmers do not want a reduction "on the backs of farming families" Keystone-SDA

Swiss farmers gathered in the capital, Bern, on Wednesday to protest the proposed cuts to the agricultural sector.

Swiss farmers’ associations have urged the government and parliament to abandon austerity measures in agriculture. “Austerity measures at the expense of farming families are unjustifiable,” said Markus Ritter, president the Swiss Farmers’ Association, on Wednesday.

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Twenty years ago, the Swiss government allocated 7.4% of its budget to agriculture. Last year it was 4.7%, the Farmers’ Association told the media in Bern. Furthermore, annual spending on agriculture has remained steady at around CHF3.6 billion ($4.1 billion) for the past 20 years, while overall federal expenditure has increased by nearly CHF40 billion, or more than 80%. “Agriculture is therefore not responsible for the financial shortfall.”

One of the reasons for the farmers’ protest outside the federal parliament building on Wednesday was the government’s plans for cost-cutting. A group of federal experts, led by Serge Gaillard, the former head of the Federal Finance Administration, has identified potential savings of up to CHF5 billion across all sectors by 2030. The government still intends to make a decision on the measures and submit a proposal for formal consultation. Parliament will then decide.

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Farmers have criticised the fact that CHF48 million, or 1.4%, is set to be cut from next year’s budget, particularly in direct payments. In the agricultural payment framework for 2026 to 2029, CHF230 million, or 1.6%, is also to be cut. Additionally, the Gaillard report proposes a further cut of around CHF210 million as agriculture’s contribution to the broader restructuring of the federal budget.

“But for many farming families, who have to make ends meet and are already losing sleep over it, this is a significant sum that will ultimately be missing,” said Ritter.

Translated from German by DeepL/sp

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