Austria plans dairy protests

We are fed up! This is the message from the ‘A faire Milch’ organisation in Austria, which has called for a march in Vienna on 26 January to demonstrate against the poor conditions for milk production in Austria and press for solutions. The basic idea of ‘A faire Milch’ is that politicians should ensure a fair milk price for the farmer, and at the same time preserve the environment and the lifestyle of ecologically conscious farmers.

The day was chosen because the Winter Meeting of the Eco-Social Forum, the largest agricultural information and discussion event in Austria, is being held 26-30 January. This is devoted to the topic of “The economy of the future,” and will deal with current issues in agriculture, forestry and agri-food policy.

Many smaller and ecological farmers in Austria feel that the ‘agrarian elite’ and the politician do not take their needs seriously. They fear that the people in charge do not do enough to secure biodiversity and prevent ‘farm death’, so the demonstration is set to put pressure on these and other topics.

“To make our businesses fit for the future, we need to think outside the box and develop new production skills and activities. The ecological-economy takes a prominent place in a future-oriented sustainability policy and is also a great opportunity for the domestic agriculture and forestry”, says the president of the Eco-Social Forum, Stephan Pernkopf.

A central theme of this year’s Winter Meeting will also be the transition of agricultural markets under CAP reform, as well as the continuing impact of the Russian trade embargo.