Bernburg. Decisions at EU and municipal level, the development of the global market and the consequences of climate change for the domestic harvest - District Administrator Markus Bauer spoke about all of these topics with Katharina Elwert, Diana Borchert and Frank Herrmann at the traditional handover of a harvest basket from the Salzland and Nordharz farmers' associations in Bernburg a few days ago. "Regular and personal dialogue is important to me. Not only to know what moves farmers, but also to be able to provide political support where possible," says Markus Bauer. Because: "This is how we can overcome challenges before they become too big." The district administrator emphasised that the Salzland district is always available to farmers as a reliable partner. He thanked them for their frank words. The harvest basket - filled with regional products - is also a sign of trusting cooperation from the farmers' associations' point of view.
Agriculture plays an important role in the Salzland district: almost three quarters of the area is used for agriculture. Thanks to the highest quality soils, the region is traditionally characterised by arable farming. Due to the climate, speciality crops such as medicinal and aromatic plants or onions also play a role. "Agriculture in the region has always been an important partner for supplying our population," says District Administrator Markus Bauer, "a strong segment in the business location, which of course also characterises the residential location. We have good conditions here and want to utilise them. It is important that the added value remains in the district. Without strong agriculture, there can be no functioning rural areas." In order to realise the objectives in accordance with the legal requirements, the specialist services within his district administration regularly work together with farmers and commercial livestock owners in the areas of nature and the environment, veterinary matters and consumer protection as well as district development.
At the meeting with the district administrator, the representatives of the two associations said that the quality and quantity of the harvest had been satisfactory. However, the yields were insufficient compared to previous years. The problem is that a pest from the Mediterranean region has arrived in the Salzland district in the form of the reed glasswing cicada, which jeopardises the sugar beet and potato harvest, but against which there is no effective remedy. The development - falling revenues coupled with rising operating costs - is making it increasingly difficult for agricultural businesses to operate sustainably. In this context, Katharina Elwert referred to plans for the new EU budget. Although a similar amount of money will be available from 2028, the subject areas have become larger. Capping EU payments to farms with a size of 100 hectares is also problematic in Saxony-Anhalt. According to the farmers' association, such plans show that regional differences no longer play a role in development at EU level. The district administrator promised to raise the reservations from the Salzland district in the appropriate places.