Grüne on agriculture

By 2030, pesticide use in the state is to fall by 40 to 50 percent. At the same time, organic farming is to grow to 30 to 40 percent.

The Greens want fewer pesticides. Pesticides are poisons against pests and weeds. By 2030 almost half should be gone. There should be much more organic farming.

The targets apply through 2030 and, in the platform's view, serve to preserve biodiversity. The platform notes that organic farming has doubled since 2011 and that pesticide use has steadily declined, in wine growing for example through pheromone methods. State-owned farms and land are to be further converted to organic farming. The party also wants to promote agroforestry as a climate adaptation measure.

The Greens want EU farm funds to follow the principle of public money only for public goods. Income-supporting payments are to be tied to farms' environmental services in the future.

Farmers get money from the EU. The Greens want to share out this money differently. Those who do something for the environment should get more. Small farms should get special support.

The payments are to keep contributing to farm income but be linked, as an incentive, to agri-environmental services. The platform calls for a separate EU budget for agricultural policy and rural development at the level of today's payouts. More money is to go to a farm's first hectares because, in the party's view, small-scale farming produces more biodiversity.

The Greens want to support young farmers with a start-up bonus and advice in order to secure farm succession. The results of the state's Strategiedialog Landwirtschaft (strategy dialogue on agriculture) are also to be implemented.

Many farms cannot find someone to take over. The Greens want to help young farmers start out with money. They should also get good advice. Farmers should find it easier to get land.

The bonus is to depend on each farm's business concept, similar to funding for start-ups. A reform of agricultural structure law is meant to improve farmers' position on the land market. The party is working on concepts against insects, fungi and bacteria that threaten harvests because of climate change. Training in agricultural and horticultural occupations is to be modernized, with more weight on climate adaptation and organic farming.

The Greens want nature, climate and animal protection to pay off more for farms financially. Agri-environmental measures are to contribute to income and can first be tested in a trial year.

Farmers should be able to earn money by protecting the environment and animals. The Greens want to support such farms more. Farmers should be allowed to try out measures for one year. Then they decide whether to continue.

Farms with high animal welfare standards are to receive more funding. In the trial year, funded farms can carry out measures without a multi-year commitment and then assess them. Grassland, grazing, shepherding and goat keeping are to keep receiving support, including through animal premiums. Biogas plants are to be converted more easily to residual materials and heat use, which the party will push for at federal and EU level. Digital methods such as precision farming and robotics are to be strengthened, and ecological fishing is supported.

The Greens want to protect GMO-free farming and food production and thereby secure freedom of choice for consumers and farmers. The state's quality labels are to stay GMO-free.

The Greens want to protect farming without genetic engineering. People should be able to choose what they eat. Food should clearly show what is in it. The state's quality labels stay free of genetic engineering.

The GMO-free rule for the state labels applies to both cultivation and animal feed. The platform justifies this with protecting value chains, organic farming and the state's quality strategy. Information, transparency and labeling are seen as the basis of consumer protection. The party wants to keep the EU's precautionary principle.

The Greens want state cafeterias to offer 70 percent regional food by 2040 and to expand plant-based options. The state's nutrition strategy is to be developed further.

State cafeterias should serve more food from the region. By 2040 it should be 70 percent. There should also be more plant-based food. Children should learn more about healthy eating in daycare and school.

University dining halls and university hospital cafeterias are also to be included, and in one model region the cafeteria guideline is to apply to all public institutions. In schools, daycare centers and universities, healthy organic-regional options following the German Nutrition Society's recommendations are to become standard. Food councils, the farm-as-classroom project, school farms and measures against food waste will keep receiving support. Growing protein crops and the supply of plant proteins are to be strengthened. Producer groups are to be supported, and tourism, food and state marketing are to be merged.

The Greens want to preserve traditional orchard meadows together with municipalities and create model regions and a fund for this. Organic farming and wine-growing landscapes are also to be strengthened.

Orchard meadows are meadows with many fruit trees. The Greens want to keep them. There should be special money for this. Organic farms and wine growers should also get help.

The state's orchard meadow plan is to be implemented and an alliance formed with municipalities. Value chain managers are to be hired statewide to make the organic model regions permanent and involve regional food crafts. The party wants to talk with retailers about fair supply chains and adequate producer prices. Independent breeding at state institutes and in organic farming is to be supported. In wine growing, core sites and steep slopes in particular are to be preserved; cooperatives are to shift to hardy grape varieties and centrally organized crop protection.