Accepting the motion for an extension of the GM moratorium

Interview with Markus Ritter, National Councilor and president of St Gallen Farmers’ Association

thk. Next year the extension of the so-called GM moratorium will expire. Just in time National Councilor Markus Ritter has filed a motion asking for another temporary extension of the moratorium. It is the Swiss citizens’ desire to abstain from the use of genetic engineering.

After all, today’s moratorium goes back to federal popular initiative “For GMO-free food” that came to vote in 2005 and which has clearly been approved by 55.7 percent of the population and by all 26 states (cantons and half-cantons). At that time the initiative prohibited the release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for 5 years and in 2010 it has already been extended for another three years. In the summer session the Parliament will decide on another extension.

National Councilor Ritter, your motion demands an extension of the GM moratorium. Which objective is pursued by the moratorium?

The objective is to prevent the release of genetically modified plants in Switzerland. It does not affect the research, but the release. It means that genetically modified plants may not be used for cultivation. This is the main target as it has already been stipulated in the moratorium and the Genetic Engineering Act.

What does that mean?

It is again a matter of a temporary solution which exactly regulates the prohibition of the release of GMOs. The Federal Council tends to regulate the issue in the Genetic Engineering Act and not in the Agriculture Act.

Would it not make sense to do basically without genetic engineering in agriculture?

What makes sense right now is to wait until still pending research results are available; there will be another report on this issue in summer. At the moment it is very important that the citizens of our country reject genetically modified products in the food sector. People do not want to buy these foods especially for fear of unknown side effects, of risks you do not know. Of course, the market demand is crucial in order to judge such matters. On the other hand according to present knowledge we have absolutely no plants which would provide a significant advantage in cultivation for Swiss agriculture, so that it would be foolish to take a risk at the moment. Neither in terms of cultivation nor in demand there are signs indicating that one should change to GMOs.

So it would not be a disadvantage to agriculture to continue refraining from the use of GMOs?

No, this would actually mean an advantage, because there are no recognizable advantages either in cultivation or in marketing. The only ones exerting pressure are those who work in research, because they want to siphon off the market potential. In contrast to other countries, people in Switzerland have the advantage to take their own decisions in agricultural policy. They can determine for themselves what is admitted and what is not, how they want to regulate things by law, etc. Swiss agriculture has naturally had a few examples when consumers were confused and serious damage was done to agriculture. BSE (beef), avian influenza (poultry meat) and last year the cucumber (false report about E-coli pathogens) – of course, we have become very careful about taking new risks with modified plants, whose side effects we do not know.

Our top priority is the production of healthy food. If the citizen as a consumer is worried the market will collapse from one day to the next, namely in the field of the plant’s application. Then there will be no point of return. If the genetically modified crop is released, the GMOs will mix with those who are not genetically modified, which causes an irreparable damage.

We can repeatedly hear about co-existence. However, no one talks about the issue who is going to pay for the co-existence and the security measures and guarantee in case of damages. On several occasions, particularly the federal government has proven that it is not willing to assume any damages. Therefore we are very careful at this and we will work very closely together with our trade partners and the consumers.

How do you see the situation of agriculture and of the so-called opening of markets? économiesuisse is disseminating strange arguments about the decline of farming which would take too long so that the market would not be able to play and other such absurdities.

I have often debated with économiesuisse, and the problem here is that they misjudge the functioning of agricultural markets. Farmers always produce bound to a specific location. Our markets are commodity markets meaning that we produce standardized commodities in large quantities for the processing that must only marginally differ in quality from producer to producer (cereals, milk, etc.). After processing, these products have significant distinguishing features that are visible to the buyer. By means of processing, the differentiation and hence the value in the market is effected on the food.

Therefore other rules are in force in various spheres of agricultural markets than in industrial and service provider markets. Agricultural products are very price-sensitive and react very strongly to slight shifts in offer and demand.

So what are the special features of our agriculture?

Our agriculture is strongly based on the foundation of family businesses. This is of great and fundamental importance. In view of the revenues made in agriculture, it is very difficult to employ foreign workers.

Farmers’ calculations have thus become increasingly tight and difficult. The achievements of farmers are rarely appropriately honored.

Considering the costs for food, they amount to 7 percent of the average household budget for our citizens (consumption in restaurants excluded). This is a relatively small amount.

At the federal level expenditure on agriculture in relation to the total budget has always decreased. We have reached about 6 percent of the total volume of the federal budget for agriculture. At the same time agriculture with its achievements is contributing a great deal to the quality of life in our country. Our farming families cultivate about half the area of our country. In addition to the production of healthy food there is a lot of work going on in the fields of recreation areas and tourism.

The World Agriculture Report exactly confirms what you have said. A small-scale agriculture consisting of family businesses which guarantees the population’s supply in particular and whose purpose is not to be traded at the stock market or struggle for market shares. Only small-scale farming can assure the supply of a growing human population with foods.

Yes, that’s it. It is a tragedy for me how semi or false knowledge is spread and how an industrialized agriculture with large-scale single-crop farming is advocated by people who have a good education. That is impossible and unnecessary.

With regard to agriculture you also speak from experience, of course. You are working in agriculture yourself.

Yes, we have a farm in the mountainous zone 1. Our farm comprises 28 acres with dairy farming, breeding, high-stem fruit crops and a little cultivation.

We are organized as family business. We are supported by two employees and an intern.

How do you see the future of our agriculture?

If we look at the major development trends our agriculture, not only in Switzerland but all over the world, will have a future. The population continues to grow strongly, and thus more food is demanded. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization expects a world population of 9 billion people by 2050. In the coming decades it will become more difficult to feed mankind, this will be a very big challenge. Food production is increasingly becoming more important.

For the people in Switzerland, it is primarily the question how to slow down the loss of cultivated land and how to position the profession of the farmer attractively in competition with other professions. The conditions for this will primarily have to be solved at the national level. I am convinced that agriculture is a very important factor in the competition between Switzerland and other countries. Healthy food, our beautiful landscape, the well groomed alpine and summering pastures, the living traditions and our culture are unmistakably belonging to Switzerland.

Let me return to the moratorium again. Will it find a majority in Parliament?

The chances are good, because many parliamentarians supported the request, and because the Federal Council has also spoken in favor of the motion. The question is how the Federal Council will implement the submission, and how we will continue in the medium term. We need to wait for the results of the research institute, and to conduct further discussions with organizations which share our ideas. Then we will be able to define further action. It is important now that the course is set for a GMO-free agriculture.

National Councilor Ritter, thank you very much for the interview.     •