Swiss Farmers: The Reality Behind the Protests

Avenir Suisse Contradicts the Farmers’ Lobby

According to the liberal think tank Avenir Suisse, the situation of farmers in Switzerland is better than portrayed in the course of the farmers’ protests.

“Many farmers are doing splendidly,” said Avenir Suisse economist Patrick Dümmler to the Tamedia newspapers.

“The protest leaders paint a picture of poor farming families. But that is only part of the reality,” said Dümmler. Total income per farm had reached over 111’000 francs in 2021, a record high to date. “Farmers have fared excellently over the past ten to fifteen years. I do wonder why exactly they are protesting now.”

Income Up by One Third Since 2015

The farmers’ lobby was concealing the fact that, due to the “farm dying-out,” there were fewer and fewer subsidy recipients. This meant more remained per farm. Incomes had risen by an average of one third since 2015 — five times more than had been the case for households outside of agriculture, said Dümmler.

The agricultural expert saw parallels with the referendum campaign on the 13th AVS pension. There, the left had put those pensioners in the spotlight who were genuinely struggling, while concealing the fact that the majority of pensioners had never been as well off as they are today.

Potential in Environmentally Harmful Subsidies

Farmers are unsettled, however, because they do not know how agricultural policy will develop, Dümmler explained. They want to fend off financial cuts and preserve existing structures. From policymakers, Dümmler expected a reform of the “bureaucratic and protectionist” agricultural policy, which must allow for more market economy and innovation. He welcomed the Federal Council's austerity plans and identified potential savings in environmentally harmful subsidies.

In recent weeks, thousands of farmers across Switzerland have driven tractors into numerous towns, turned road signs upside down, defaced them with shoes, or marched through cities ringing bells. These demonstrations were preceded by farmer protests in other European countries.