A breath of fresh air for dairy cattle breeders comes from the amendment signed by MP Lea Ferrari, one of the two Communist Party members elected to the parliament of the Republic and Canton of Ticino. The amendment was accepted by all political groups with the exception of the Liberal-Democratic Party and the ‘Avanti’ movement (a split to the right of the Socialdemocratic Party). 

Within the framework of the updating of the Agriculture Law, thanks to the communist proposal, a simple yet vital paragraph was introduced: the cost of milk collection, especially at the most remote farms, can be financially supported by the State. The milk supply chain in Southern Switzerland is in fact in a desperate condition. The more than 2 million litres of milk that used to be processed there have been allocated otherwise. 

The transport cost is up to 11 cents per litre, which amounts to up to 20 per cent of the milk price. Thanks to the legal basis proposed by the comrade Ferrari, farm closures can be avoided, bringing the sector out of this highly uncertain situation while waiting for a long-term solution for the processing and valorisation of milk in this border canton. The Communist Party (Switzerland) welcomes the parliamentary decision and is proud to have helped support the Swiss primary sector once again.