In Bavaria, even during the summer break, so much happens that as a reporter you wish you could tear yourself apart.

For example on Monday.

The new CSU General Secretary Martin Huber had invited to an "information trip".

Timo Frasch

Political correspondent in Munich.

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The program sounded tempting: “The day starts with an exclusive tour of the Töging hydroelectric power station.

Afterwards we stop for lunch and background discussion in Raspl's pleasure forge.

You will then be welcomed to the bishop's administration by the mayor of Altötting and the city pastor, along with a guided tour of the museum."

100 euros fine because of the flat cakes

But the competition for the CSU was extremely strong this time.

Because Hubert Aiwanger, Bavarian Economics and Energy Minister from the Free Voters, was preparing to intervene in the "cow patty dispute" on that very day.

What happened?

Well, a farmer in the Upper Bavarian community of Pähl had turned his cows out to pasture, allegedly leaving such massive pats on the road that a local resident complained to the authorities;

he is said to have gotten stuck in the dung with his stroller.

As a result, the municipality imposed a fine of 100 euros on the farmer, including 28.50 euros in processing fees.

This was also criticized by the local council.

The fear was expressed that the punishment could motivate “resident citizens” to take action against other peculiarities of village life, such as roosters crowing.

Aiwanger has a nose for such cases.

A year ago, he used the summer break to call for the protection of typical regional smells and tastes – this ultimately resulted in a Federal Council initiative.

The graduate agricultural engineer now unerringly put the scent mark in the cow pats cause in the "Bayerisches Landwirtschaftswochenblatt".

"That's what happens when the cow shits on the street"

On Sunday, according to Aiwanger, praise speeches would be held for agriculture, and then on Monday "the farmer would be cracked if the cow shits on the street".

Of course, the farmer had to remove the cakes quickly.

But these were part of it in areas where cows are still grazed.

As usual, Aiwanger emphasized powerfully: "I can't fly the cows to the pasture in a helicopter and I can't put diapers on them either.

That's what happens when the cow shits on the street."

So impartially, he got his own picture of the situation on the spot on Monday.

Reporting conditions were great.

In any case, Aiwanger's ministry had announced: "It can be parked on site, there is seating right next to the cow pasture and a small snack bar.

The situation is ideal for photos.”

The FAZ nevertheless decided to go on the information drive with CSU man Huber, but only after Aiwanger's staff had assured him that a phone call to the minister about the findings he had brought back from the cow pasture or that a recording of his speech would be sent was definitely possible.

Apart from that, CSU general secretaries also have something to say about cows.

In the federal election campaign, Huber's predecessor, Markus Blume, had a close-up of a cow's head placarded - but without success.

The feedback from the party base was also bad.

So has the CSU lost contact with rural life?

The Christian-social Minister of Agriculture and innkeeper's daughter Michaela Kaniber can hardly be blamed for that.

When asked, she jumped in on the matter with Aiwanger: "Anyone who wants cows on the pasture - and we all want that - must also accept that cows have to cross the street."

However, she also indicated that she considers Aiwanger's priorities to be questionable: "According to our observations, the population and agriculture are much more concerned with the contribution our farmers can make to overcoming the hunger crisis and the energy crisis."

Aiwanger left such objections cold on the cow pasture.

When asked why he, as Minister of Energy, was dealing with the flatbread issue, he replied: "Cow dung can be biogas." He also had a solution to the dispute ready: the person who complained ("a newcomer, doesn't mean anything") should pick up a shovel and take the cow dung to fertilize his garden.