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Stuttgart / Berlin (dpa / lsw) - In the dispute over a legislative package on insect protection, the farmers and several agricultural ministers of the Union are increasing the pressure on Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) and switching on the Chancellery.
The package consisting of the Insect Protection Act and the so-called Plant Protection Application Ordinance, the draft of which is to be adopted by the Federal Cabinet on Wednesday (February 10), has far-reaching consequences, according to a letter published on Thursday by the German Farmers' Association to Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).
It also affects the relationship between nature conservation and agriculture.
"The package of regulations focuses one-sidedly on legislative requirements and lacks any approach for stronger cooperation between agriculture and nature conservation," criticize DBV President Joachim Rukwied, all of the state farmers' presidents and more than 90 district chairmen from particularly affected areas.
They called for a "clear reworking" of the draft, which would affect agriculture and not add any added value for insect protection.
In addition, farmers would not be compensated for conditions that should be imposed on the use of insecticides.
The agriculture ministers from Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria as well as the Lower Saxony head of department also express massive concerns in a letter to Merkel.
They expressed concern about the federal government's plans to introduce a ban on pests, weed killers and insecticides in Natura 2000 protected areas with the Insect Protection Act.
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Federal Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) recently insisted on practically implementable solutions for further environmental and animal welfare requirements for agriculture.
On Thursday there should be a mediation talk between her and Schulze.
With her draft for an insect protection law, Schulze is essentially implementing what the cabinet had already decided with the insect protection action program.
In particular, it is about reducing light pollution, expanding protection zones and reducing the use of pesticides.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210204-99-301867 / 2
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Letter from farmers' association to the Chancellery
Letter from the Union Minister to the Chancellery
Proposals of the Union Minister to the Chancellery