At the invitation of the Federal Chancellery, the Commission for the Future of Agriculture (ZKL) met today with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz for an intensive exchange of views. Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Federation and member of the ZKL, takes stock of the meeting:
"The transformation of agriculture could and should have started a long time ago. Unfortunately, both the previous CDU government and the traffic light government let years pass. However, I am pleased that the government is now showing the will to accept the ZKL's advice. The Federal Chancellor made this clear in the constructive talks.
It was emphasized during the meeting that the restructuring of animal husbandry must be tackled as an urgent measure, and that the guidelines of the so-called Borchert Commission are the blueprint for this. The necessary subsidies to enable farmers to restructure are to be collected via VAT, and here too the traffic lights now have a clear roadmap, which I very much welcome. This also includes the ZKL recommendation that closed stall systems should be phased out. This also made it clear that the state housing label, as previously designed, would be seen as an obstacle to the conversion.
For the Ampel, this should be the reason to change course now: Less consumption, less production of animal-based food, more animal welfare and more planning security for everyone involved.
With its heterogeneous composition, the ZKL has once again proven that it is possible to build bridges with a serious will and the ability to compromise. The Commission's work is continuing apace, with the reduction of bureaucracy, tax issues, the common European agricultural policy and a new culture of cooperation on the agenda alongside animal husbandry. Other topics include access to land, electrification and alternative fuels in agriculture. This will be a complete package. The SPD, the Greens and the FDP should also be able to achieve what we can. In the interests of animal welfare and environmental protection, but also in the interests of economic operators, there is an urgent need for planning security. Never before has the opportunity been so great to find broad support for the transformation. Now is the time to seize it."
