Bingen (dpa / lsw) - The pig farmers in Baden-Württemberg see themselves in a dramatic situation because of the rising costs for feed, energy, fertilizer and pesticides. "The permanent burden on our pig farmers is no longer bearable," said the Vice President of the State Farmers' Association and President of the Pig Breeding Association, Hans-Benno Wichert, when handing over a letter to the state parliamentarians and agricultural spokesman Klaus Burger (CDU) and Martin Hahn (Greens) on Wednesday in Bingen (Sigmaringen district).
In the letter, the associations demand, among other things, a binding indication of origin that covers all stages of production and also applies to processed goods. In addition, companies that are ready for further development should have easier access to funding. "The state must work to ensure that, at least in the state canteens, a higher proportion of the ingredients come from regionally produced food and that this is also recognizable," the letter said.
According to a survey (deadline: May 3rd), according to the associations, around 200 farms in the south-west have given up pig farming within a year, around half of them piglet producers. "Many of our colleagues are up to their necks in water," explained Erwin Heckler, a member of the Livestock and Meat Committee at the Baden Agricultural Association.
According to the State Statistical Office, there were still 1,700 pig farms in the southwest in May, including 700 piglet breeders.
