Tighter control of imported food – Swiss farmers

The National Council calls for steps to be taken against pesticide residues in imported foods. He wants to direct the Federal Council to examine and lower the threshold values, expand the control regime and impose import bans on banned pesticide residues.

By 120 votes to 63, with three abstentions, the Grand Chamber approved Christine Padercher’s proposal (Greens/BE).

In light of the controversy over pesticide use in Switzerland, it is also important to take a closer look at imports, the agronomist writes in her proposal. “According to EDI regulation SR 817.021.23, food must not contain any residues of plant protection products (PPPs) that are prohibited in Switzerland,” he continues.

Badercher criticizes that the Federal Reserve is exercising different import margins. This also applies to public-private partnerships, which are expressly prohibited in Switzerland by the PIC law because of their “impact on health or the environment”. For them, significantly higher bound values ​​are applied.

The Federal Council not only threatens the health of consumers, but also creates an uneven spit for Swiss farms that can do without these products. By selling such foods, the state government supports the use of public-private partnerships in third countries that endanger farmers’ health or pollute the environment there.

“This is why I appeal to the Federal Council to reduce health risks from pesticides by checking and reducing the limit values ​​of approved pesticide residues in food imported in Switzerland. Residues from unauthorized plant protection products should be banned, and in particular zero tolerance should be strictly enforced on All plant protection products that have been banned in Switzerland for reasons of health or environmental protection”, demands Christine Badercher. The National Council sees it this way too. Now it is the turn of the Council of States.