Achim Spiller speaks of a “difficult starting position”, and anything else would have been surprising. The professor of agricultural science at the University of Göttingen has taken over the co-chairmanship of the “Agriculture Future Commission” (ZKL), a committee that is now supposed to pacify a major conflict: it is supposed to bring calm to the fields. Should balance the interests of farmers, animal rights activists, environmental associations, consumer advocates and retailers. After the massive farmers’ protests of the past few weeks, this is a delicate task.
But to the surprise of many, Spiller’s commission was able to present an initial agreement to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) this Thursday: meat, sausage, milk and eggs should become more expensive and the proceeds should be used to finance the renovation of the stables for greater animal welfare. This proposal leaked out of the committee during the week, according to which the VAT on animal products should increase from the currently reduced rate of seven percent.
The government may still be hearing the noise of tractors ringing in its ears
Most recently, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, led by the Greens, recommended its own levy, the so-called animal welfare cent, which the FDP rejected. According to the Future Commission, an increase in VAT would have the advantage that the “administrative effort” would be significantly lower.
Initial reactions after the meeting in Berlin indicated that at least the Chancellor no longer wanted to stand in the way of the plan. There is now a clear willingness on the part of the government to “accept the ZKL’s advice,” explained Thomas Schröder, President of the Animal Welfare Association. The Chancellor made this clear in a constructive conversation. In the end it will probably come down to the FDP again. Minister Cem Özdemir made it clear that he also supported an increase in VAT and put pressure on the coalition partners: It is now time to come to an agreement because it is about the future of agriculture. “What is not possible is to reject every feasible proposal and not present a consensus-based alternative,” he said.
Spiller and his co-boss Regina Birner from the University of Hohenheim actually didn’t want to go public until an overall package had been put together. Because if someone gives in in such conversations, they want an advantage elsewhere. “We have come a long way,” said Spiller, but there was not enough time to discuss all areas. It should be ready by the end of April. Other topics include reducing bureaucracy, tax issues and the future distribution of the European Union’s agricultural billions.
The ZKL could thus do the traffic light coalition a great service. The noise of tractor engines from the protests at the beginning of the year may still be ringing in the ears of those in power. There had not been such a peasant revolt for a long time. At first in Germany it was only about abolishing the tax advantage for agricultural diesel, but the protest soon spread and generally opposed environmental regulations, animal welfare regulations and the entire Green Deal of the European Union.
Observers criticize regressions
In view of the European Parliament elections at the beginning of June and the impending shift to the right, the conservative parties in particular sided with agriculture. There is talk of panic among observers. Progress towards an ecological agricultural economy, which had been hard fought for over years, would be wiped out within a few weeks. For example, the requirement that companies leave four percent of their agricultural land fallow in order to protect biodiversity.
Achim Spiller says: “The challenge is to make it clear to all sides that the issues in the agricultural sector and the discussion about them will continue and that the old fronts will not help.” Spiller explains that the Future Commission’s attempt is now to recommend a long-term policy that brings together sustainability and economic prospects for agriculture.
The farmers’ association immediately showed how difficult this is. Although he was apparently involved in drawing up the proposal to increase the VAT on meat and milk, he then stated: “We reject an increase to the standard tax rate.” That is 19 percent. For some, the association’s statement sounded like a backtracking, but a gradual increase has also been discussed at the ZKL. The farmers’ association probably won’t be able to refuse this if the money actually reaches the animal owners. Many companies are under too much pressure; since 2000, the number of pig farmers in Germany has fallen by almost 90 percent.
The Future Commission was set up for the first time by Angela Merkel, because there were already protests from farmers when she was Chancellor. The ZKL also presented extensive results in 2021, a paper over 150 pages, but politicians did not have the strength to implement far-reaching decisions. The same thing happened to the “Livestock Husbandry Competence Network” under the leadership of the former CDU Agriculture Minister Jochen Borchert, which called for an increase in meat prices years ago.