“There are already many challenges for farmers, we don’t need that now,” says Bruno Inauen, head of the St. Gallen Agricultural Office. The canton of St. Gallen announced the bad news on Wednesday morning: increased levels of PFAS chemicals have been detected on St. Gallen soil, which has already had an impact on foods such as meat and milk.
So far, five farms in the Mörschwil, Eggersriet, Untereggen, Altenrhein and Goldach areas have been affected. At least 20 hectares on the Eggersrieter Höhe are mentioned as an example. It cannot be ruled out that the pollutants will be found in other soils.
What are PFAS?
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds) are chemicals that are difficult to degrade.
They have been used industrially for decades, for example in water-repellent
Rain jackets, Teflon-coated frying pans or fire-fighting foam. These chemicals
enter the environment and can enter the food chain and humans
For humans, they represent a possible health risk
Risk fear.
According to the latest risk assessment by the European Food Safety Authority, there is a link between PFAS levels in the blood and a reduced
Concentration of antibodies after vaccination and thus their reduced effectiveness. In addition, other possible negative health effects of high PFAS levels in the blood are pointed out, for example on the liver, kidneys or birth weight. Due to their longevity, widespread distribution and accumulation via the food chain, this group of substances represents a major challenge worldwide.
“It came completely unprepared”
The farmers were officially “presented with a fait accompli” last Friday with a personally handed-over order and on Tuesday by post. Only at the affected farms on the Eggersrieter Höhe did the farmers know that samples had been taken. Although the canton had known about the problem for some time, the canton has so far kept quiet. “We were not allowed to contact the farmers for a long time until we had gained a little more knowledge about the situation ourselves. The farmers feel left alone,” Bruno Inauen, head of the Agricultural Office of the Canton of St. Gallen, told TVO.
The president of the St. Gallen Farmers’ Association, Peter Nüesch, shares this perception. “It came completely unexpectedly. The companies were informed at very short notice.” It is serious if the farmers can no longer sell their products, their food, from one day to the next. Ultimately, the current situation could mean a huge loss of income, depending on the type of business.
“Powerlessness” for farmers
According to cantonal chemist Pius Kölbener, what currently has no dramatic impact on consumers – the chemical has not been detected in drinking water – can have serious consequences for the farmers affected. For example, food with a PFAS contamination above the applicable maximum level is no longer allowed to be sold. Accordingly, some farmers will no longer be able to sell their product in the long term. Depending on the circumstances, this can certainly pose a threat to their livelihood.
The requirements of the Canton of St.Gallen
- Affected farms must ensure that the maximum PFAS levels in the meat of their animals are not exceeded
- If maximum values are exceeded, the meat may not be used for human consumption
- The canton verifies compliance with on-site inspections and laboratory analyses
- Farms can only keep their animals on uncontaminated soil
- Spring water can no longer be used to water animals
“For the farmers, it is a situation of helplessness. They have something in their soil that they probably did not put there themselves and that is now leading to a bad product,” says Inauen. “They see their life’s work disappearing.” In an interview with TVO, he also tells of two farmers who said to him: “Now I only produce waste.”
Farmers’ association with clear demands
While the farmers now have to comply with the requirements set by the canton, the canton wants find out in a next stepwhere the problem is bigger and where it is smaller. And where there is still a possibility of production in the future.
At the same time, the canton is currently examining support measures for companies with possible economic losses. If it takes longer to clarify the production options, the government is prepared to resort to similar instruments as during Corona, said government councilor Beat Tinner at the media conference.
The farmers’ association goes even further and Nüesch says: “We demand that this damage must be compensated.” The companies got into this situation through no fault of their own and did absolutely nothing wrong. A bridging loan is not sufficient. “It is not a question of liquidity, but rather damage has been caused. We must act immediately and compensate,” says Nüesch, who sees the canton clearly in the lead. The canton was unable to say on Wednesday how long this situation will really last and what exactly will happen to the affected farmers.
Scan den QR-Code
Don’t want to miss any more news? Get the Today app.
PFAS chemicals have also been found in Altstätten. About a year ago, the soil was replaced and the contaminated waste disposed of.
