This conclusion is hardly surprising. And yet, an article that appeared in the “TagesAnzeiger” may have given some readers cause for concern. The article stated that in the past there would have been a famine in such years. This is the assessment of organic farmer Urs Dünner. Dünner, who farms in the canton of Thurgau, will only see half his traditional potato harvest this year. His fields were decimated by blight because of the cold and wet weather. The mixture of copper and rock flour the organic farmer uses against blight as an organic pesticide was of little use in the face of these conditions. Things look somewhat better for Daniel Peter. Peter, who uses traditional farming methods, lost around a third of his potato harvest. Without pesticides, he too would have had to write off around half his potato crop.

Many crops are under pressure

Most Swiss farmers shared the experience of Dünner and Peter in 2021. The final figures have not yet been tallied, but the reports so far indicate that the potato harvests in many places were much lower than in previous years. The differences will be even more substantial among organic farmers, says Niklaus Ramseyer, Managing Director of the Association of Swiss Potato Producers, as quoted in the aforementioned article. Things would have been far worse in Switzerland if pesticides hadn’t been used. This was also the case with orchards. Without pesticides, the harvest of cherries and plums would have been totally wiped out because of rot and pests, says Beatrice Rüttimann of Swissfruit, a trade organization.

In many parts of Switzerland, vineyards were also badly affected by the weather as well. The situation in the city of Zurich was especially difficult because of a hail storm on June 13. But even without these factors it would have been a difficult year. The year got off to a bad start, with frost in the spring followed by a wet summer. The rainwater immediately washed the pesticide that had been sprayed off the leaves, allowing mildew – a fungus that dries grapes leaves and fruit – to form, according to the “TagesAnzeiger” in another article.


Pesticide initiatives are a Utopian fantasy

Just last June, Switzerland voted on two agricultural initiatives, that would have banned or sharply limited the use of pesticides. The experience this year shows how Utopian these initiatives were. Pesticides are indispensable. Of course, years like this also place pressure on the soil because of the increased number of paths, as crops need more spraying than usual in order to protect them. 2021 made the importance of breeding more resistant varieties especially clear. This is also the view of farmers Dünner and Peter. Such varieties would also make sense for economic reasons. However, organic farmer Dünner warns: “Pesticides shouldn’t be removed from the market before new varieties have truly proven themselves.” The development of new varieties sometimes requires years or even decades. In Switzerland this process is made even more difficult because gene editing is currently prohibited as part of the moratorium on genetic engineering. This takes away one option for breeding hardier varieties more quickly and precisely than with traditional breeding methods. With a view to current and future challenges facing farmers, it is important to keep all options open – to ensure that farming is profitable and as sustainable as possible.