– We want to find solutions for those who produce our food. will receive help, in the same way as all other consumers receive help through the security scheme for households, says Vedum’s State Secretary Lars Vangen (Sp) to TV 2.
Vedum has invited the Norwegian Farmers’ Association and the Norwegian Farmers’ and Smallholders’ Association to a meeting at Gardermoen on Monday morning at nine o’clock.
Promised support for barns
The organizations were in a crisis meeting with Minister of Agriculture Sandra Borch (Sp) on Tuesday. At the meeting, Borch promised that the farmers will receive more in electricity support.
The organizations demanded that the electricity support for households, which is aimed at electricity consumption in homes, should also include farm buildings.
Borch engaged the Norwegian Directorate of Agriculture to achieve an accurate and fair scheme for electricity support to farmers within this scheme.
– We will meet those who have large buildings and high energy consumption, typical pig producers – farm buildings with a lot of animals in them – that is what we are working on technical solutions to be able to achieve, the Minister of Agriculture told TV 2.
For ordinary homes, the state pays part of the electricity cost for extraordinarily high electricity prices up to a consumption of 5,000 kilowatt hours.
The farmers’ association demanded that the roof for farm buildings be set at 20,000 kWh as part of the household scheme.
Not inside
According to Borch, it was decided to do everything possible to achieve this before the government presented its new proposal to the Storting to increase the share the state covers of extra high electricity costs for housing from 55 to 80 percent.
According to the plan, the expanded household scheme will be approved by the Storting next Friday, but the bill that passed in the cabinet on Friday does not provide extra electricity support to farmers, says Minister of Petroleum and Energy Marte Mjøs Persen (Labor).
– It is not part of this scheme that the Storting will consider during this week. It is aimed at households and those who live in houses and apartments, but also homes on agricultural properties, says Persen.
The government is following their situation closely, she says.
– I understand that it is difficult for many farmers who have high electricity costs associated with heating barns and where the animals live, she assures.
– The Minister of Agriculture also has a dialogue with the agricultural organizations and about any schemes for them, but this scheme is primarily aimed at household customers and all those who have electricity meters that are connected to their private home.
Vedum will listen
TV 2 is informed on Sunday night that the farmers’ organizations have been invited to a new meeting in the government – this time it is Sp’s Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum who will talk to the farmers about their demanding situation.
– There are many who experience that everyday life is demanding, whether it is high electricity prices or a pandemic. The government is concerned with listening to those who experience this on the body. We have previously had a listening meeting with the companies in Trysil, this time agriculture, says Vangen.
The farmers’ organizations have warned that the increased electricity costs could, in the worst case, lead to the farm going bankrupt and being closed down.
– It is very important that the improvement comes quickly, especially to get the electricity compensation in place to ensure food production this winter, said Bjørn Gimming, leader of the Norwegian Farmers’ Association after the meeting with Borch.
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