Zurich Farmers’ Association launches a fodder exchange in response to the drought
Keystone-SDA
In response to the drought, the Zurich and Schaffhausen Farmers’ Associations are taking their own measures: they are launching an online marketplace for animal feed.
Because the grass in the meadows has withered away in many places, Swiss farmers are already having to feed their cattle the hay that was actually intended for the winter. After that, they will be forced to buy feed or send their cows to the abattoir.
As drought is set to remain a problem in the coming years, the farmers’ associations of cantons Zurich and Schaffhausen are now launching an online marketplace for autumn fodder. Arable farms and those with few livestock are to grow so-called intermediate fodder – weather permitting – for farms that keep large numbers of cows.
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They are therefore to plant grain maize and sell it to fellow farmers as feed maize. According to the farmers’ associations, many farmers are willing to do this, provided that the purchase is guaranteed and the terms are clarified.
The online marketplace is designed to make it “easy for farmers to find each other”. The farms would then sort out the details themselves. Swiss agriculture has been suffering from a water shortage for weeks. However, there is no sign of prolonged rainfall for the time being.
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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
