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    THE BridgeNews FORUM: On farming, farm policy 
    and related agricultural issues. 
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* Farmers Face Both A Mad Cow Crisis And A Minister Of Agriculture Who 
  May Be Hostile To Their Interests 
  
 
    By David Walker, agricultural economist 
    BridgeNews 
    Norwich, England--Strange as it may seem, what is good for farmers and 
farming need not be a priority criterion for selecting a minister, or 
secretary, of agriculture. 
  
    There was a time when farmers and farming interests were important to 
all governments. Agriculture was accordingly allocated the kind of person 
it sought to contest its corner in cabinet.  
  
   As the political influence of agriculture wanes, European farmers 
consider themselves lucky if they avoid someone hostile to their 
interests. 
  
    While some American farmers may be uneasy about their new secretary of 
agriculture, Ann Veneman, never actually having farmed, to a European 
farmer, she would be a dream candidate--a farmer's daughter with a long 
and virtually unbroken association with agriculture. 
  
    The 1999 appointment of a vegetarian as the Welsh secretary of 
agriculture, an almost entirely livestock-based industry, may have been a 
simple faux pas with no political intent. 
  
    But this month's appointment of a "green" as the German minister of 
agriculture appears to have been a deliberate political move and, 
therefore, a more telling statement. 
  
    Beyond reflecting the realities of farm politics in Germany and 
probably in most other countries in Europe, it's also a rather sad 
reflection on public attitudes toward an increasingly productive and 
scientific farm sector. 
  
    The current German government is an alliance between the left of 
center Social Democrats and the further left Green Party, whose aims and 
ambitions reach beyond the environmental issues for which they are best 
known. 
  
    This alliance is the first major foothold of a Green Party in 
government. After the September 1998 German federal election, now- 
Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, leader of the Social Democrats, found himself 
just short of an absolute majority and the Green Party with just enough 
and convenient support. 
  
    To cement the relationship, the Greens were offered three cabinet 
portfolios--foreign affairs, health and, naturally, the environment. It 
has been a relatively unproductive alliance in terms of the type of 
programs the junior partner Greens seek, but it has not been a quiet one. 
  
    "Misunderstandings" by the Greens have meant it has been a rather 
uncomfortable arrangement for the Social Democrats. Within weeks of the 
alliance being formed, Schroder imposed a retraction on the promotion by 
Joschka Fischer (the Green Party's leader and Germany's vice-chancellor 
and foreign minister) of "no-first-use" of NATO's nuclear deterrent. 
  
    Even now Fischer, although politically popular, appears out of place 
in government, recently acting as a character witness for an acquaintance 
being tried for a politically motivated 1970s' murder. 
  
    Chancellor Schroder, therefore, has reason to be very cautious when 
filling the quota of Greens in his cabinet. 
  
    The appointment as minister of agriculture of Renate Kuenast, co- 
leader of the Greens and former anti-nuclear protester, follows the 
resignation of the health and agriculture ministers--fallout from the BSE 
crisis, or mad cow disease. 
  
    Some dire and forceful warnings from the EU commission over the risk 
Germany amongst others ran with their mad cow precautions (or lack 
thereof) had been ignored. In the case of the German government the advice 
presumably came from the two ministers who resigned.  
  
    Elsewhere in Europe, farmers might be forgiven for welcoming this 
development. Agriculture within the European Union is very competitive, 
even if it is protected from outside competition. 
  
    With a Green minister it might seem that German agriculture could be 
lumbered with all kinds of frustrating environmental restrictions, as 
British farmers are with animal welfare legislation. 
  
    The reality, however, is that Kuenast will likely suffer the same fate 
as Christine Gwyther, the Welsh vegetarian agriculture minister. 
  
    Faced with a hostile culture within agriculture and little support 
from the senior partner Social Democrats, she is likely to make little 
progress on issues that she, as an activist environmentalist, would like 
to promote. 
  
    At the end of day she is also likely to be seen as prone to errors of 
judgment. This is all too common an epitaph for politicians who, because 
of unreconcilable beliefs, are unable to gain the confidence of those for 
whom they are responsible. 
  
    If there is any doubt that Kuenast has been given a suicide mission, 
it is surely dispelled by Chancellor Schroder decision to grace her with 
all BSE responsibilities. The Social Democrat taking over the health 
ministry is so, so relieved.  
  
    The previous minister of agriculture, Karl-Heinz Funke, a dairy farmer 
and long time friend of Chancellor Schroder waited until mid-January 
before resigning, claiming the Cabinet no longer supported modern farming 
methods. 
  
    In other countries with far worse BSE situations, ministers of 
agriculture have stuck it out. The arrangement gives the appearance of a 
stopgap measure to distance the Social Democrats from the BSE issue until 
next year's election. 
  
    They no doubt hope they will gain enough support to govern without the 
Greens. Although the appointment of Kuenast may have been a convenience 
largely unrelated to agriculture, German farmers have surely been 
slighted. 
  
    The appointment is unlikely to further the Green agenda but certainly 
reflects the diminishing influence of agriculture in Germany.  End 
  
    DAVID WALKER, an agricultural economist, lives on his family's farm  
outside Norwich, England. He recently served as senior economist in London  
for the Home-Grown Cereals Authority and previously was executive director 
of the Alberta Grain Commission in Canada. He also maintains a Web site at 
www.openi.co.uk. His views are not necessarily those of BridgeNews, whose 
ventures include the Internet site www.bridge.com. 
  
    OPINION ARTICLES and letters to the editor are welcome. Send 
submissions to Sally Heinemann, editorial director, BridgeNews, 3 World 
Financial Center, 200 Vesey St., 28th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10281-1009. 
You may also call (212) 372-7510, fax (212)  372-2707 or send e-mail to 
opinion@bridge.com. 
  
    EDITORS: A color photo of the author is available from KRT Photo 
Service.