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There was a time when any farmer with a little political knowledge and a couple of pints could predict, with some conviction, who was going to get the agriculture portfolio when cabinet jobs were being handed out. With a UK election touted as being only months away, the best bet would probably be no minister of agriculture. This might be better than one with no stomach for the job.(650 words)

In the US, Canada and other farm dependent new world economies any short list of farm ministerial appointments will still be dominated by those with mud on their proverbial if not litteral boots. In Europe, however, such appointments increasingly appear to have little relevance to the job to be done. That farmers have some one they can trust to contest their corner in cabinet seems to be of declining importance to governments.

The appointment of Christine Gwyther, the vegetarian Welsh Secretary of Agriculture in 1999, may have been a simple mistake by an inexperienced leader. It does, however, reflect the truth that the leader either had no agricultural advisors to turn to, did not consider it worthwhile to seek advice, or chose to ignore the advice he got.

In contrast this month’s appointment of a "Green" as the German minister of agriculture seems to have been a very 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 is also a rather sad reflection on public attitudes toward an increasingly productive and scientific farm sector.

The German government is an alliance of left of centre Social Democrats and the further left Green Party whose aims and ambitions reach beyond environmental issues for which they are best known. While the Social Democrats were happy enough to offer the Greens three cabinet posts back in 1998 to cement the relationship and provide them with the majority they needed after the last German election, they have been uneasy allies since.

Chancellor Schröder, therefore, has reason to be very cautious when filling the quota of Greens in his cabinet. In truth he probably would rather not have appointed Renate Künast, co-leader of the Greens and former anti-nuclear protester, as minister of agriculture. But the resignation of the Green health and Social Democrat agriculture ministers, a fall out from their BSE crisis, left him one short of the quota.

Chancellor Schröder decision to grace Frau Künast with all BSE responsibilities gives the appointment the appearance of a suicide mission. The Social Democrat taking over the health ministry must be so, so relieved.

Farmers elsewhere in Europe farmers might also be forgiven for welcoming this development. 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.

Frau Künast will, however, probably meet the same fate as Christine Gwyther. With little support from the senior partner Social Democrats and a hostile culture within agriculture, she is likely to make little progress on issues that she, as an activist environmentalist, would like to promote.

She is also likely to be prone to errors of judgement. This is common amongst politicians who, because of deeply felt differences, are unable to gain the trust of those for whom they are responsible.

Although the appointment of Frau Künast 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 it certainly reflects the diminishing influence of agriculture in Germany.

With the next UK election getting closer the political pundits will soon start listing potential agriculture minister candidates. Sadly the best bet will probably be no minister of agriculture. But there again, no minister might be better than one who commands little or no trust or respect in the countryside.

January 26, 2001