Citizens' initiative Landwende

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The logo of the citizens' initiative Landwende shows a stylized bee in flight.

The citizens 'initiative Landwende is a citizens' association that aims to educate people about the dangers of the agricultural industry and work towards alternatives in the sense of "agriculture suitable for grandchildren".

history

The citizens' initiative Landwende was founded in September 2001 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the Lassaner Winkel in the former municipality of Pulow as a reaction to a pesticide accident . As a result of an accident in the agro-industrial application of the pesticide produced by the company Syngenta "Brasan" which the active substance clomazone contains, people reported health complaints were damaged plants in private gardens and suffered organic farmers massive crop losses. The Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Ministry of Agriculture and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture were involved in the incident . Further accidents involving pesticides containing clomazone in the region became known in 2004 and 2011. The aim of the citizens' initiative is to draw attention to the dangers of the agricultural industry and to work towards an "agriculture suitable for grandchildren". She is particularly dedicated to the issues of soil health, loss of biodiversity, freedom from toxins and rural agriculture. The citizens' initiative sees itself as independent and non-partisan. The partners of the independent citizens 'initiative include the Schweisfurth Foundation , the Munich Environment Institute , PAN Germany , Agrar Koordination , Meine Landwirtschaft , Campact , the organic supermarket chain Basic and the Oya magazine published by Johannes Heimrath , a co-founder of the citizens' initiative .

activities

Campaign “Agricultural Poisons? No thanks!"

The logo of the campaign "Agricultural poisons? No thanks!"

In 2012 the citizens' initiative started the campaign “Agricultural poisons? No thanks! ”, Which went public in 2014 with a website. The campaign calls for the end of all use of pesticides, which it describes as "agricultural toxins", and in particular of the world's most widely used herbicidal ingredient glyphosate . On the one hand, it advocates the implementation of citizen-initiated studies on the dangers of pesticides and, on the other hand, calls on the federal and state ministries of agriculture to initiate relevant research. The campaign logo is based on the “Atomkraft? No thanks “logo and shows a bee on a green background. The adaptation was approved by the Danish anti-nuclear force organization OOA . The supporters of the campaign include Michael Succow , Franz-Theo Gottwald , Hans Rudolf Herren , Michael Braungart , Carina Weber , Hubert Weiger , Sarah Wiener , Bertram Verhaag , Gisela Sengl and Martin Häusling . To accompany the campaign, the journalist Ute Scheub wrote the book Ackergifte? No thanks!

"Urinals 2015" campaign

In order to obtain a data base on the pollution of the population with the herbicidal active ingredient glyphosate , which is most widely used in Germany and worldwide , the citizens' initiative called on the population to have their urine tested for glyphosate residues as part of the “Urinale 2015” campaign. For this purpose, urine sample sets could be ordered from the citizens' initiative. In addition, self-organized “urinals” events were held at 23 locations across Germany by regional event partners, at which interested parties received urine sample sets and were informed about the dangers of pesticides. The organic supermarket chain Basic also put out urine sample sets in its branches. First, the urine samples were sent to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture with a request for an examination. After this was rejected, the samples were examined by the veterinarian and glyphosate expert Monika Krüger in the independent private laboratory BioCheck in Leipzig, which she co-founded, at cost price.

On March 4, 2016, the results were presented to the public at a press conference on the premises of the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Berlin: Between October 2015 and January 2016, a total of 2011 self-paying subjects had their urine tested for glyphosate residues. Of the samples evaluable in 2009, residues of glyphosate were detectable in 2001. 8 samples, i.e. 0.4 percent, were below the detection limit of the test method used. Thus 99.6 percent of the samples examined were contaminated with residues of glyphosate. According to Monika Krüger, this is the most comprehensive data collection to date in Germany and worldwide on the pollution of the population with glyphosate residues, making clear the need for further research with regard to the pollution and health effects of glyphosate. The results are published in a peer-reviewed specialist article.

48 members of the European Parliament from 13 member states took the “Urinale 2015” campaign as a model and had their urine checked for glyphosate residues. According to the results published on May 12, 2016, 100 percent of the samples examined were positive.

Appeal to the Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Environment Agency

On March 17, 2016, the citizens' initiative appealed in a letter to the Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks and the President of the Federal Environment Agency Maria Krautzberger to speak out against the re-approval of the herbicide glyphosate at EU level. The arguments listed in the letter were made public in a press release.

literature

  • Ute Scheub: Agricultural poisons? No thanks! For agriculture suitable for grandchildren. Act 438. Klein Jasedow 2014, ISBN 978-3-927-36987-0 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Website of the BI Landwende: start page
  2. ^ Website of the BI Landwende: Case documentation: Klein Jasedow 2001: Summary of the events from August 26th. until 09/27/2001
  3. ↑ Katrin Agethen: Herbs "from the end of the world" , in: Ländlicher Raum 01/2013, pp. 27-29.
  4. ↑ Benedict Maria Mülder: The white sheets of Pulow , in: Der Tagesspiegel , January 9, 2002
  5. ↑ "We had to destroy the harvest at our own expense: Report by Christiane Wilkening, managing director of a herbal tea cooperative in East Western Pomerania", in: Ute Scheub: Ackergifte? No thanks! For agriculture suitable for grandchildren , pp. 49–52.
  6. ↑ Katrin Agethen: Herbs "from the end of the world" , in: Ländlicher Raum 01/2013, pp. 27-29.
  7. ↑ Benedict Maria Mülder: The white sheets of Pulow , in: Der Tagesspiegel , January 9, 2002
  8. ↑ "We had to destroy the harvest at our own expense: Report by Christiane Wilkening, managing director of a herbal tea cooperative in East Western Pomerania", in: Ute Scheub: Ackergifte? No thanks! For agriculture suitable for grandchildren , pp. 49–52.
  9. ↑ Katrin Agethen: Herbs "from the end of the world" , in: Ländlicher Raum 01/2013, pp. 27-29.
  10. ^ Website of the BI Landwende: start page
  11. ↑ Website of the BI Landwende: "Partner"
  12. ↑ Blog entry on the website of the “Ackergifte? No thanks! ”Of March 22, 2014
  13. ↑ Website of the campaign “Ackergifte? No thanks! " .
  14. ^ Website of the "Urinals 2015" campaign
  15. ↑ Martin Mair : Dispute about glyphosate , audio contribution, MDR, ARD Berlin, Tagesschau.de , March 7, 2016, 9:45 a.m.
  16. ↑ Expert on weed killers: “Glyphosate limit value should be zero” , Interview by Barbara Schmickler with Monika Krüger, Tagesschau.de , March 7, 2016.
  17. ↑ Researcher on pesticide finds in urine: "I eat organic" , interview by Jost Maurin with Monika Krüger in the taz , March 4, 2016
  18. ↑ Press release of the Heinrich Böll Foundation , March 4, 2016
  19. ↑ Press release of the BI Landwende: Text part
  20. ↑ Martin Mair : Dispute about glyphosate , audio contribution, MDR, ARD Berlin, Tagesschau.de , March 7, 2016, 9:45 a.m.
  21. ↑ Press release from BI Landwende: data section
  22. ↑ Martin Mair : Glyphosate: Poison or Useful Agent? , Audio contribution, MDR, ARD Berlin, Tagesschau.de , March 4, 2016, 2 p.m. 10.
  23. ↑ ZDF heute.de, article from March 4, 2016 ( Memento of the original from March 16, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.heute.de
  24. ^ Dispute over the re-authorization of glyphosate up to the last minute , www.evangelisch.de, article from March 4, 2016
  25. ↑ Nicole Sagener: Study on glyphosate: Majority of Germans clearly contaminated , www.EurActiv.de, March 4, 2016, 1:45 p.m. (updated on March 7, 2016, 11:57 a.m.)
  26. ↑ Charlie Grüneberg: Almost every German carries glyphosate ( Memento from April 8, 2016 in the Internet Archive ), www.br.de, March 4, 2016
  27. ↑ http://www.greens-efa.eu/we-are-pissed-off-15542.html
  28. ↑ Members of the EU parliament excrete glyphosate with their urines ( Memento from May 12, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
  29. ↑ Press release from BI Landwende: Too many unanswered questions about glyphosate: The precautionary principle prohibits the further approval of the agricultural poison!