Hand in hand and full of conviction, the organic sector presented itself at the large rally organised by the "BIO für Alle" (Organic for All) campaign alliance. Andechser Molkerei Scheitz, BÖLW (Organic Food Production Alliance), AöL (Registered Association of organic food producers), LVÖ (Registered National Association for organic farming), BUND Naturschutz (Registered Nature Conservation Association) and other representatives presented their demands to politicians in front of a large audience against the backdrop of the scientifically substantiated importance of organic farming for nature and the environment, climate and biodiversity, people and nature. Organic farming contributes to solving environmental problems - this is the result of a 10-year study by the Technical University of Munich on the environmental and climate effects of organic farming, which analyses the effects of organic production on the environment, climate and society. At the same time, the study shows that organic farming avoids billions in annual climate impact costs.
"We are calling for organic food to be subject to 0% VAT, for Germany to remain GMO-free and for 50% organic to be implemented in public institutions," explained Barbara Scheitz, Managing Director of Andechser Molkerei Scheitz. "This makes "Organic for All" possible and rewards consumers for their purchasing decisions! This makes the target of 30% organic farming in Germany a reality, with cost savings of more than €4 billion per year. The positive effects in the area of environmental and climate protection are thus recognised," she continued. And: "In a nutshell: organic stands for climate protection, organic farming and good food."
The other initiators of the "Organic for All" campaign alliance then emphasised the relevance of organic farming along the entire value chain:
Tina Andres, Chairwoman of the Organic Food Production Alliance (Bund Ökologische Lebensmittelwirtschaft, BÖLW): "For consumers, the right decision must become an easy decision. With every hectare of organic farming, we save around 750 euros in climate impact costs alone. But since environmental damage is not part of the product price, the more expensive products for the common good appear in the supermarket as the supposedly cheaper ones. This must change. Consumers must also be able to recognise from the price which products strengthen the common good and stand for climate protection and biodiversity. We need 'Organic for All'."
Matthias Meißner, Head of the Biodiversity Department at BUND für den BUND: "To ensure that everyone can afford organic products, we need socio-political support in the form of higher citizen's income rates. However, it will also be crucial for organic farms to strictly regulate all forms of genetic engineering. Consumers must continue to be able to see where genetic engineering is present."
Richard Mergner, Chairman of the Registered Nature Conservation Association in Bavaria (Bund Naturschutz Bayern): "Organic farming protects the climate by binding CO2 and also provides positive benefits for the environment and biodiversity. This means that ecological and economic benefits go hand in hand and save the state and society a lot of money! Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner must finally recognise this by reducing VAT for organic products to zero and reinvesting the added value generated by organic farming in organic farming! That is a sustainable increase in value for society and the state."
Thomas Lang, 1st Chairman of the Registered National Association for organic farming in Bavaria (Landesvereinigung für den ökologischen Landbau in Bayern, LVÖ): "We need a change in nutrition, food and agriculture. Climate change is challenging us at all levels. Organic farming and the organic food industry offer answers to the challenge of promoting food security, nature conservation and climate protection together. 50% less greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture are possible through organic farming. Organic farming is the engine of innovation in agriculture, even without genetic engineering. Organic farming has demonstrated this impressively in recent decades. To ensure that our organic farmers can continue to farm well and sensibly in the future, we need processes of de-bureaucratisation and incentives. We demand "green by definition"! The future of agriculture is organic."
Psychologist Thomas Ebenfeld underpinned the perception of prices among consumers from a scientific perspective. "Organic has many aspects and dimensions," explained the expert in depth psychology marketing research: "Organic is effective, progressive, changes things in concrete terms." Because: "Organic offers much more than tasty, low-pollutant food and idealised harmonious, family-like production conditions," he continued.
Organic farming is the solution for the future
But what does reality look like? Children talked on stage about how they would like the world to be - and the fact that the children's wishes match the reality of organic farming was subsequently demonstrated by the practice-orientated speeches given by organic farmers from all over the country. Sepp Steinmüller, an organic farmer from Oberaudorf, brought along a piece of humus-rich soil from his home region. Like many others, he runs a grassland farm with pasture farming and is committed to a virtually closed nutrient cycle and the preservation of a species-rich ecosystem: "We have become convinced that diverse agriculture with healthy soil and biodiversity is the best way to produce food," explained the long-standing organic milk supplier to Andechser Molkerei Scheitz.
Susanne Schoof, farm manager of Nordseeküstengenuss in Hedwigenkoog, is also in favour of biodynamic farming on her farm. Cereals, vegetables and forage for the cattle are grown on the heavy, clayey soil. In return, these provide valuable fertiliser for maintaining soil fertility and plant growth. For Susanne Schoof, the cultivation of originally bred, seed-resistant vegetables is a matter close to her heart - varieties that have been developed without old or new genetic engineering, instead traditionally bred with a lot of care, craftsmanship and passion.
Bioland Vice President Sabine Kabath from the Watzkendorf organic nursery in Blankenesee also had her say: "What worries me is the deregulation of genetic engineering - we are already having to deal with plant protection products that have been drilled remotely. These are things that I cannot influence and as a farm manager I am held responsible for them. We also know that genetic engineering affects flora and fauna and that we can never get it back! The German government must work to ensure that new genetic engineering breeding methods remain regulated in accordance with current genetic engineering legislation. As a training company, it is also important to me that in future, organic farming will have a firm place in the curricula of vocational training and further education programmes for farmers and gardeners. Unfortunately, this is not currently the case and is merely a question of the personal commitment of vocational school teachers and lecturers at colleges and universities." Finally, master farmer Georg Scheitz presented the organic management of his mixed farm, which has been an organic farm since 1986, on behalf of the Biokreis association: "The diversity and structures in the organic sector have so far made it possible for smaller farms to open up markets for our society in a forward-looking and environmentally friendly way. With the current cost pressure, we won't be able to keep this up for much longer. We must support our farms and secure their markets throughout Germany. Our next generation of young farmers needs visions and perspectives again - a solidarity with consumers, bulk buyers and politicians. When it comes to biodiversity, we organic farmers can look back on decades of experience. This means we can also act as a mentor to other producers, help them further and work together to safeguard our cultural landscape."
