Debate: drought requires urgent action



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Torkan attacked soils and arable land, not only in Sweden, but also abroad. The situation is serious and becomes an awakening for all those who lean in the belief that food is always in the store. Yes, that's the case – if the farmer can deliver. The case of the peasantry is the business of all.

Drought is now turning against virtually all crops such as cereals, rapeseed, wheat, peas, beans and sugar beets. Crops of vegetables and potatoes do not suffer as much as they are usually watered.

In the dirt road, the farmer fights to deliver bread, flour and cereals and feed the animals. The harvest of winter animal feed has been up to now very low. Therefore, derogations from the EU rules are provided so that additional fields can be harvested. However, due to the dry weather, the animals will have to be slaughtered.

Sweden is already heavily dependent on food imports. About half of the food we eat is imported and, following the drought, the need to buy food from other countries increases.

Farmers' organizations in the Baltic countries, Denmark, Finland and Sweden have EU refunds and other actions related to the EU's special crisis funds. But more action is needed. LRF therefore wants:

– the Swedish support authorities concerned to quickly pay the EU compensation for 2015, 2016 and 2017. About 500 million have not yet reached the farmers

– the same authorities pour 2018 the government significantly increases the reimbursement of the diesel tax for agriculture in the additional budget of the autumn of 19659002. The government triggers a demand for response to the crisis of the l '39; EU

the government blocks all plans to increase taxes on agriculture and food production. Banks plan to submit a preliminary tax return to the Swedish tax authorities to adjust the tax to a lower income

– Farmers continue to help one another in terms of tax access to pastures and fields for food harvesting

It is now important that all actors, including the government, take up their responsibilities. In 2017, the Riksdag made a landmark decision on a national food strategy with the overall goal of boosting domestic production. That we are now hit by the worst drought in a quarter of a century is obviously nothing that a strategy can control.

For the LRF Regional Council Södermanland

to

Margareta Malmquist

President LRF Södermanland

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