Oschersleben (dpa/sa) - According to the Saxony-Anhalt Farmers' Association, the field mouse has become "one of the greatest threats to agriculture" in recent years. In 2020, more than 100,000 hectares of arable land and grassland in the country were severely damaged by field mice, the association announced on Tuesday. Also this year, field mice caused considerable damage.
Pest control is said to be difficult as farmers have fewer and fewer pesticides available. "After the last mass reproduction of field mice, the population is currently building up again. If we are not allowed to protect our stocks, there will be total failures again," said the Vice President of the Saxony-Anhalt Farmers' Association, Sven Borchert. Politicians must "make practical decisions so that we don't stand in front of empty fields in the coming year".
The agricultural industry association emphasized on Tuesday at a farm day in Oschersleben (Börde district) that farmers were having fewer and fewer pesticides at their disposal. "With zinc phosphide, there is currently only one approved active ingredient in Europe for controlling field mice - ten years ago there were eight," said CEO Frank Gemmer.
