On the 23.09. 2018, the Swiss electorate voted on the Federal Popular Initiative ‘For food sovereignty. Agriculture affects us all’.
Introduction
The Popular Initiative ‘For food sovereignty. Agriculture affects us all’ was submitted in 2016 by an initiative committee sponsored by the farmers’ union Uniterre. As far as its authors are concerned, federal policy on agriculture is going in the wrong direction. They criticise the increased opening of markets and the related competitive pressure that the Swiss agriculture industry has come under at both national and international levels. They are also concerned by the decline in the number of farms and of people working in agriculture.
The bill
The aim of the initiative is to focus agriculture policy on small, family farms and to promote sustainable, diverse and gene-technology-free agriculture. The federal government should ensure that farmers are paid fair prices for their produce to secure higher incomes for those working in agriculture. Furthermore, imported produce must meet the social and ecological standards that apply in Switzerland. The initiative will lead to more state intervention, additional costs for consumers and increased government expenditure. The Confederation would have to impose customs duties on certain products or ban their import; such measures would contravene international agreements that currently apply.
Links
Who is entitled to vote? Where and how to vote?
- Everything you need to know about voting in Switzerland: www.ch.ch/democracy
Last modification 11.07.2022
