XtraBlatt Issue 02-2020

Maschinenfabrik Krone has remained true to its customary
marketing concept of presenting new ideas and developments
in the “inter Agritechnica years”. However, the 2020
corona pandemic brought one break from tradition in that
the international press conference premiered as a purely
virtual event. Catering for this, the Krone Training Centre
rapidly metamorphosed into a professional TV studio.
EDITORIAL
DEAR READERS,
There are moments when I’m left speechless, although these
are admittedly very unusual occasions. But it was certainly
the case this autumn when a former Minister of Agriculture
aired her opinions on the link between the corona pandemic
and agriculture. She inferred that behind the pandemic were
poor food production practices, bad farming and environmental
neglect. What really made me speechless in this
respect was not the well-worn accusation that, once again,
it’s all the farmers’ fault. Just as disgraceful in this respect, I
still find, is the way in which hygiene conditions in Chinese
meat markets, or questionable contracts for workers in
German slaughterhouses, are misused to support political
dogma on all things agricultural. This is unacceptable in a
countryside where farming features standards of quality
output and environmental care that are unique worldwide,
whether under “bio” or conventional management.
However, I recognise as fundamentally very positive the
present social and political discussions on what agriculture
might look like in the future. Especially encouraging here is
that science and food supply chain players now join with
politics and agriculture in these discussions: a cooperation
that carries with it the opportunity for everyone involved
to at last recognise the high value of the food we produce.
The way I look at it, misusing our meat and milk products as
cut-price bargains in supermarkets borders on immorality.
Everyone – policy makers as well as consumers – wanting
high standards of environment protection and farm animal
welfare must remain resolute in this respect and accept that
added value has its price.
Regionality is the title theme thoughtfully chosen for
this XtraBlatt issue. Food supplied with shortest journeys
between producers, processors and consumers represents
the ideal solution. On the other hand, direct marketing or
regional slaughter facilities cannot represent the golden rule
for everyone. Each and every family business has to find its
own solution. My wish is that everyone be encouraged to
discover for themselves the best possible option. After all,
without a diverse agriculture peopled by viable family farms,
our countryside would be all the poorer. Perhaps you’ll get
the chance for a few quiet hours of conversation on this
subject sometime during the holiday period. And while
you’re relaxing, I wish all of you a very happy Christmas and
good fortune in 2021!
Sincerely yours, Bernard Krone
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