Andechs, July 2023 - At the launch event "Organic for All" on Sunday, 9 July 2023, at Andechser Molkerei Scheitz, the initiators hosted a political lunch and presented their demands to participants from politics and agriculture as well as industry representatives: "0% VAT for organic food" means "100% commitment to natural living now and in the future"!
First, Prof. Kurt-Jürgen Hülsbergen from the Technical University of Munich presented the results of a 10-year study on the environmental and climate impact of organic farming, which analysed the effects of organic production on the environment, climate and society and showed that organic farming avoids billions of euros in annual climate impact costs (€1.5 billion p.a.). "The better it is possible to build up humus, the better it is for the climate balance. The poorer the humus balance, the higher the net emissions. This is a key factor; the consideration of humus dynamics is an innovation of this study," summarised Prof. Kurt-Jürgen Hülsbergen.
The initiators then had their say, emphasising the importance of organic for nature and the environment, climate and biodiversity, animals and humans, and for healthy food production.
Richard Mergner, Chairman of Registered Nature Conservation Association (BUND-Naturschutz): "As consumers, we can contribute to what agriculture looks like and how animals are kept. But we also need the political framework conditions. Responsible politicians are called upon to create transparency so that we can talk about a free, social and ecological market economy. We don't have that at the moment. In the food sector, we need regional, transparent and comprehensible economic cycles and fair market conditions. That must be the goal. And that is why we are promoting the good arguments of regional organic."
Thomas Lang, 1st Chairman of the Registered National Association for organic farming (Landesvereinigung für den ökologischen Landbau in Bayern e.V. (LVÖ)): "Organic farming is the basis for biodiversity, humus formation and water balance - which is why the system must be promoted and advanced. We are the ones who set the agenda. We have to go out and fight for organic farming, for the organic food industry, for healthy, good and sustainable food. That's how we manage to think about climate change together with healthy and sustainable food, nutrition and agriculture."
Barbara Scheitz, Managing Director of Andechser Molkerei Scheitz: "For me, organic farming is a key driver for solving many of the problems we face today: Species protection, biodiversity, soil protection and carbon sequestration, groundwater protection, healthy food, health for us humans, our flora and fauna, our nature."
Organic food offers scientifically proven added value. Therefore, the demands on politicians are:
1. for fair competition: reduction of VAT for organic food to 0%
2. more organic food in out-of-home catering; 50% organic food in public canteens
3. for a GMO-free Germany; no genetic engineering through the back door
In conclusion, Barbara Scheitz emphasised: "The consumer is powerful: the decision to go organic changes everything. Also for the state! This is also how international and nationally agreed climate targets are achieved."
The "Organic for All" initiative
For more than 40 years, Andechser Molkerei Scheitz has stood for regional organic farming. However, the current market situation and the political and social changes brought about by the "turnaround" pose major challenges for the organic sector. It is time to make people aware of the achievements of organic farming in an audible and visible way. Together with the BÖLW, AöL, LVÖ, BUND-Naturschutz and many other representatives of the industry, the action alliance "BIO für Alle" ("Organic for All") was therefore founded. To get "organic on the move", further days of action will take place this week in Bavaria after the start in the organic milk route, as well as a political breakfast with a final rally in Berlin on 29 September 2023. Further information on the dates can be found here.
