January 21, 2013

Germans oppose industrialized agriculture

Icy temperatures in Berlin did not keep up to 25,000 people from a lively demonstration against industrialized agriculture at the beginning of the annual "Green Week". This was the third such march in the German capital. WLOE was there too.

Excerpt from the English statement from the broad coalition of agricultural, environmental and consumer groups:

"The outlook for our food and farming is bleak. Over the past 50 years, EU taxes have been used to support industrialized production. This form of agricultural is threatening the existence of our farmers in the global North and South. It is creating excessive food waste on the one hand and global food insecurity on the other: a situation now being worsened by increasing food speculation. The overuse of chemical fertilizers and harmful pesticides is harming the environment, destroying biodiversity and threatening bee populations worldwide. Factory farms are also disregarding animal welfare, aggravating climate change and leading to the abandonment of rural areas. The continued European reliance on soy imports and the growing trend of land grabbing is devastating farming communities worldwide.  It is time for change.

The policies responsible for all this are currently being reformed. In 2013 the direction of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the next 7 years will be finalized. Responsible for over 40% of the total EU budget, policymakers are currently deciding how to distribute the 60 billion Euros available each year. Whether small family farms will benefit, or whether the majority of the money will continue to subsidize large industries remains to be seen. These decisions will be made as the international community debates how to combat world hunger and ensure the right to food for all."... more