agriculture

Farming is key when it comes to conserving and protecting our natural resources. Ecofriendly farming helps to mitigate and avoid ecological damage. To do this, an adequate legal framework and green agricultural policies are needed.

Agricultural landscapes are habitats for many wild animal and plant species. Fields, meadows, pastures and hedges serve as a food source and provide breeding and refuge areas. However, intensive agriculture significantly limits this potential. Biodiversity in agricultural landscapes has been declining for years.

Pesticides are used extensively in agriculture. Their main purpose is to keep crops healthy and weeds and pests at bay. However, they also have undesirable effects on biodiversity and water quality in adjacent biotopes.

Germany’s farming sector uses the largest amount of land, but is at the same a lynchpin of our economy – one that provides a reliable food supply and produces sustainable raw materials. The farming sector also plays a key role when it comes to preservation and development of the man-made environment. But increasingly intensive farming brings with it a host of eco-unfriendly effects.

The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) and UBA present joint recommendations for action.