Swiss’ unprocessed produce
Conflict over Swiss vegetables
At the assembly of the delegates of the Association of Swiss Vegetable Producers (VSGP) on 21 April there was quite some commotion: Approximately 30 vegetable farmers left the meeting as a sign of protest. The issue that caused the commotion affects the vegetable producers Bürki in Grenzach and Bosshard in Weil am Rhein. Ultimately, it comes down to private law, vegetable production at the border, and long winding disputes among Swiss vegetable producers.
The background
There has been a longstanding agreement between Germany and Switzerland, in which crops produced by Swiss companies in a radius of ten kilometres of the border, may be sold in Switzerland without customs duties. Increased urbanization of the Basel region and thus the decrease of farmland allowed Swiss farmers to farm on German land and make use of this regulation in the Customs Act.
Suisse Garantie
For ten years, there has been the private legal brand "Suisse Garantie", that promises the customer local produce and quality of certified farms. But now – and this is the reason for the clash- farmers situated in the centre of Switzerland requested that farms on the German side, are no longer "Suisse Garantie". For the simple reason that the crops are not produced on Swiss soil. This applies on all farms within the ten-kilometre border zone, not only in Germany but also in the direction of France and Italy.
The Agro Marketing Switzerland (AMS) administers the "Suisse Garantie" trademark. They decided to wait for the decision of the Federal Council. That should clarify the question: What basic requirements must a product fulfil to be Swiss?
Compromise proposal
One of the proposals suggests allowing land that has been cultivated beyond the Swiss borders before or on 1st January 2014, may continue to use the brand name "Suisse Garantie". But no new across border areas should be admitted in the future.
Source: www.badische-zeitung.de