The election results were intensively analyzed on today’s State Farmers’ Council and current agricultural policy issues were discussed.
For LH-Dep. Stephan Pernkopf, chairman of the ÖVP’s largest sub -organization with around 100,000 members, is the election result with 82 % for the Lower Austrian Bauernbund, a clear proof of trust and an important work mandate: “The farmers know who they can rely on. The result is a confirmation for the farmers’ association: clear edge, hard work, personally on site and practically in implementation. So personal conversations with intensive regional anchoring of our candidates, a strong structure with committed officials as well as a well -founded work with the best agricultural experts and above all with the practitioners at the field and in the stable. ”
“The FPÖ is smashed on the farmers’ association”
The top candidate of the election and impressively confirmed Lower Austrian Chamber President Johannes Schmuckenschlager summarizes the result: “The result shows how big the trust of the rural families is in the farmers’ association, and the high voter participation for chamber elections proves how important the voters are their chamber and that they appreciate the work and advice of all employees as well as the elected incumbent.
Already in advance, the opinion researcher Christoph Haselmayer, head of the Institute for Demoscopy and data analysis, analyzed the result: “The results of the Chamber of Agriculture speak a clear language,” said his assessment. “The ÖVP farmers’ association is loyal to the land on land, landabe. The FPÖ is smashed on the mighty Lower Austria farmers’ association. This underlines the strong anchoring of the farmers’ association as a reliable representative of interests, especially in rural areas and cemented its supremacy, ”says Haselmayer.
Women’s power for the farmers’ association and demand for a productive Europe
“A third of the Mandatare of the Lower Austria Peasant Association in the General Assembly of the State Chamber of Agriculture will be female in the future – an important step for more participation and diversity in agricultural policy,” says Vice President Andrea Wagner. At the same time, she regrets that no other party sends women to this committee: “Especially in agriculture, it is crucial that the reality of all farmers is mapped. We rely on a strong female voice in the interests of interest. “
“Solutions in the field of crop protection are now urgently needed to ensure security of supply in the long term,” says Vice President Lorenz Mayr in view of current developments. The closure of the sugar factory in Leopoldsdorf is a hard blow for domestic agriculture and should not lead to further deterioration. “If crop protection is banned in Europe, we obviously prefer to import products that have been treated with exactly these means. When a sugar factory is closed, we lose jobs and, above all, the chance of more domestic production and are again dependent on imports. As a farmers’ association, we stand for a productive, powerful Europe. This only works if we also keep production and performance in the country. “
Due to the current situation, the State Farmers’ Council also passed a resolution, including a catalog of demands, with measures to strengthen the security of supply with home sugar and to support the Lower Austrian beet farmers.
Government program presented
The government program of the new federal government contains numerous positive measures for agriculture, including the commitment to common agricultural policy (GAP), the promotion of organic agriculture, support for climate change adaptation, strengthening competitiveness, planning security for animal husbandry companies as well as the promotion of innovation and education, maintaining the agrardiesel and a rejection of property taxes.
“Many farmers’ associations can be found in the program, which is a strong sign for our farms. Protect property. Promote performance. Strengthening production – these are our goals that have also been anchored in the government program, ”says Schmuckenschlager, who also represents the farm interests in the National Council.
With the new federal government, the rural interests are also more taken into account in climate and environmental protection at the ministry level. The agendas have been settled in the Ministry of Agriculture under the Bauernbündler Norbert Tettschnig since the amendment to the Federal Ministry Act decided a few days ago. These content and personnel changes ensure that agriculture and nature conservation are no longer played against each other, but are intended together. This also excludes feared expropriations as part of the renaturation. A positive side effect is that the conflict between the Lower Austria Bauernbund and animal welfare councilor Susanne Rosenkranz was also fed to a solution and that one could agree on a comparison. A constructive dialogue is now in the foreground. The State Farmers ‘Council of the Lower Austrian Farmers’ Association stated: “Job messages are not allowed to unsettle the farmers. With Minister Totschnig, it is now secured, which was extremely unsafe under Minister Gautler. Namely: no expropriations! “
The State Farmers ‘Council of the Lower Austria Farmers’ Association
The session focused on the analysis of the Chamber of Agriculture, which took place both at the state level and in 21 district farmers (20 districts plus Waidhofen/Ybbs as an independent chamber district). The Lower Austria Bauernbund was the only parliamentary group in all districts. In Mödling, the farmers’ association was the only party of choice. Over 1,500 farmers at the state and district level ran on the lists – so all available list places were filled.
The State Farmers’ Council is the highest body in the Lower Austrian Bauernbund. Around 200 farmers from all districts, all agricultural industries, every age group and all political levels – from the local and community level to the districts, the state, the federal government and to the EU – are represented here. “From the local farmers ‘council to the minister, committed farmers’ bundles of farmers give a voice. We are the only political organization that your members personally visits from house to house. This creates trust and is a clear job for the future, ”emphasizes Lower Austria farmers’ association director Paul Nemecek.