According to the latest government assessment of farming practices and their environmental impact, too much nitrogen still ends up in sensitive ecosystems, despite levels falling. Ammonia levels are also down but still above the required target. The situation regarding pesticides is also less than satisfactory. Levels have dropped since 2019, but in rivers and streams they rose again in 2024. Parliament has already approved measures to halve the risks posed by pesticide use by 2027. Imported food has a more detrimental impact on the environment than that of domestic produce, says the Swiss centre of excellence for The farming sector itself can only do a small amount of the things that are needed, Bosshard concedes. Most measures require the involvement of the food industry, retailers, and consumers, he says, adding that, since the Second World War, the state has, to a large degree, shaped and played a role in encouraging today’s consumption habits and behaviours, which are responsible for many of the inefficiencies in the food system. This particularly applies to animal-derived foods. For decades, at least 80 per cent of agricultural subsidies have gone into animal farming, with crop production receiving only 20 per cent. In its 2022 report on the future direction of agricultural policy, the Federal Council also concludes that more arable land must be used to grow crops for direct human consumption to ensure that domestic food production keeps up with population growth. Yet 100 per cent self-sufficiency will not be possible despite all this, because many of the key resources needed in the Swiss farming sector are often imported. These include artificial fertilisers, pesticides, diesel, and seed. 2 H ow environmentally sustainable is Swiss agriculture? In its most recent 2016 report on environmental goals for agriculture, the Federal Council painted a mixed picture on whether targets related to biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, phosphorous, and pesticides were being met. Environmental goals have not been reviewed systematically since then, with no study keeping track of progress. This significant lapse in knowledge makes obtaining a coherent overview impossible, say farming experts. The latest updates and analyses only relate to individual areas. To receive direct subsidies, farms must fulfil a range of sustainability criteria. This mandatory standard (“proof of environmental performance”) is not stringent enough, counter environmental groups. The Swiss branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature notes that none of the government’s 13 environmental goals have been met. Aims of the Food Security Initiative The Food Security Initiative seeks to increase to 70 per cent the extent to which domestic food production covers domestic food consumption. Ten years would be the timeframe for achieving this target. It would mean diets having to become more plant-based. The initiative also calls for the protection of groundwater resources as well as the promotion of a sustainable system of agriculture and food production. Behind the initiative are Franziska Herren from the Clean Water for All association plus a number of other people. Herren was also the driving force behind the Clean Drinking Water initiative that was rejected in June 2021. The Federal Council and parliament have rejected the Food Security Initiative without offering a counterproposal. Voters will offer their own verdict on 27 September. (CF) The Swiss branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature notes that Switzerland’s environmental performance is poor. Swiss Review / July 2026 / No. 3 5
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