Minister Gewessler acts irresponsibly and exchanges political change on the backs of the farmers
Vienna (OTS) – Farmers’ Association President Abg.z.NR DI Georg Strasser sharply criticizes Environment Minister Gewessler’s highly controversial announcement today that she will approve the EU renaturation law in tomorrow’s EU Council of Environment Ministers, despite a unanimous statement from the federal states to the contrary: “This decision has major consequences for Austrian agriculture and for consumers , after all, this regulation is about, among other things, the decommissioning and decommissioning of agricultural land. The minister is therefore responsible for a massive reduction in food production and thus a significant increase in food prices.”
Gewessler is endangering numerous jobs in Austria with her reckless and democratically dangerous behavior. The President of the Farmers’ Association also fears a flood of over-regulation and bureaucracy. The financing of this measure is also completely open: “The Commission’s impact assessment mentions costs of over 150 billion euros. Nobody knows who will do it. One thing is clear to me: the farmers will certainly not pay the bill for this!”
Agriculture and forestry are already climate protectors
Wanting to completely ignore the numerous advance payments made by Austrian farming families with their announced approval of the renaturation law is a slap in the face to those affected, Strasser continues: “A good headline does not immediately make a good law. The farmers are the first climate and environmental protectors, and not just yesterday, but for years. Only recently, a new, Europe-wide exemplary biodiversity area record of 230,000 hectares or over 10% of the agricultural area was announced in Austria. Agriculture can protect the environment and implements it every day. We don’t need new regulations from Brussels telling us how we have to work. The only beneficiaries of this regulation are large agricultural exporting countries, which will be able to supply their climate-damaging products to the EU in the future because we regulate ourselves to death. What Federal Minister Leonore Gewessler is now planning to do is irresponsible in every respect.”
“We are also absolutely sustainable in forestry. In Austria, much more wood grows back than is harvested. Multifunctional forest management is extremely important in order to move away from fossil fuels. “Protect by benefiting” is our motto,” emphasizes Strasser. He refers to the completely contradictory proposals from the EU Commission, such as the “abandonment of timber harvesting”, which is listed as a positive example of restoration measures in the annex to the regulation.
Farmers’ Association to Gewessler: Come to your senses, Minister
Farmers’ Association President Strasser points out the uncertain consequences of the renaturation law and makes an urgent appeal to Federal Minister Gewessler: “We will buy a pig in a poke if we really agree to this proposed law. There is a lot at stake in tomorrow’s vote for us farmers, but also for food consumers. Minister, take responsibility for the Austrians and do not agree to this law!”
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