Switzerland offers all the conditions required for ecologically sustainable farming. Not only due to their spatial properties but also to their long-standing tradition are small farms particularly suited to this agricultural sector. Their motto always has been ”small is beautiful“. And, as the Swiss farmers also have always cared for the natural countryside and intact alpine meadows, they have a long track record in the field of nature-oriented production.
Well-founded training and further education
Consumers demand environmentally and animal-friendly production but at the same time they also want foodstuffs that are reasonably priced. To meet these requirements, the farmers are always seeking and finding new solutions. For this reason, ecology constitutes a central component of their training and further education. The results: high-quality meat and an extensive farming industry that uses less fertiliser, less herbicides and less concentrated feed.
Ecological pioneering
The Swiss population places a great deal of value on high-quality natural products, and its environmental awareness is steadily growing. Against this background, it is hardly surprising to learn that Switzerland has long pioneered ecological farming. From this wealth of experience it has built up an expertise that now benefits consumers all over Europe.
State funding
The state grants direct payment subsidies to every farmer who meets the requirements of the Swiss ”Proof of Ecological Performance“ (PEP) standard for environmentally friendly farming practices. Today, production is almost 100% ÖLN-compliant. The most important criteria are
- humane livestock living conditions,
- balanced use of fertilisers,
- controlled crop rotation,
- ecological compensation areas,
- suitable soil protection.
Switzerland furthermore specifically supports
- species diversity in farmlands,
- livestock farming dedicated to particularly animal-friendly practices,
- sustainable use of the summer pastures.
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