Özdemir ready to talk on suspension of set-aside

MÜNCHEN “When it comes to energy, we saw how bad it is to be open to blackmail,” Kaniber said of the feared stop in Russian gas supplies. Europe needs raw material security in all areas, including forestry and agriculture. The two politicians met at a panel discussion at the opening of the “Interforst” trade fair.

It has been agreed in the EU that from 2023 four percent of the agricultural area should no longer be farmed in order to preserve the diversity of flora and fauna. Kaniber emphasized that she does not question this goal: “We stand by the Green Deal.”

For his part, Özdemir wants to talk to the farmers and their officials about the fact that local agriculture should not lead to deforestation in other parts of the world: “Then we’ll talk about the fact that soy is grown in Brazil, which is then fed here,” said the Minister of Agriculture. “We are helping to ensure that valuable forest is lost.”

This refers to the fact that the cultivation of soy as feed for cattle and other livestock has expanded significantly in recent decades, with the result that forests are disappearing in tropical and subtropical countries. “Let’s then tackle the things that are really useful and learn from the mistakes of the past,” said the Green politician.