Glut on land devours Germany

07. Mai 2012 – Gerd Sonnleitner, Chairman of the German Farmers’ Association travelled to Berlin to present a petition signed by 212,000 citizens to the German parliament.

The topic is land reduction which in this case means converting arable areas into land for residential and infrastructure purposes. According to Sonnleitner an area of 90 hectares is lost daily – the equivalent of 120 football fields. The reduction of arable land since 1992 has reached about 800,000 hectares, an amount the size of the German States Rhineland-Palantinate and the Saarland combined.

Agricultural land ensures our supply of food and renewable resources. Therefore, German farmers not only demand the unsealing of unused land, but also the intelligent and considerate use of land. Additionally, internal growth of urban centers should be given preference to developing fields and pastures.

A change of views and political action has become mandatory. The future will show if legislation has to be instituted to protect farmland and stop the glut on land.