Rooks alarm: Farmers demand help against crop losses!

Rooks alarm: Farmers demand help against crop losses!

The press conference of the Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV) on May 21st in Maisach once again revealed the alarming conditions in agriculture. The meeting, led by Mathias Heitmayr, took place in the corn field of the Leonbacher organic farm, which is heavily affected by rooks. Among those present were district chairmen from the districts of Dachau, Fürstenfeldbruck and Landsberg, as well as former state parliament member Hans Friedl and BBV district president Ralf Huber.

According to farmers, the rooks pose a significant threat because they primarily destroy seedlings. Sebastian Leonbacher reported enormous losses in his harvest. Simple measures such as flags and balloons used to help, but this is no longer sufficient. Last year he was forced to reseed his corn twice before finally switching to grass clover.

Damages and solutions

Johann Bichler, another affected farmer, uses blank cannons to scare away the birds, but this unsettles local residents. The legal situation is difficult because the rook has been protected in Bavaria since 1980; There are currently around 20,000 breeding pairs in the Free State. During the conference, Heitmayr called for stock regulation in order to minimize economic damage to farmers. There are legal options to grant exemptions for shooting if over 100 birds per hectare are found.

The problem is also influenced by the promotion of multi-risk insurance by the Free State of Bavaria, which has been introduced since 2023. Despite this initiative, farmers criticize the conditions of the insurance: a payment of only 20% once a year is inadequate, and damage caused by reseeding is not compensated. Johann Ankner pointed out the devastating effects of rooks on vegetable cultivation - in 2023, the waste rate in the herb harvest fell to 75%, resulting in a loss of around 25,000 euros on four hectares.

Risk management in agriculture

Risk management plays a central role in agriculture. As the DLG As explained, the goal of operations managers is to identify dangers and manage risks effectively. Unforeseen events, such as damage caused by rooks, can lead to liquidity shortages as revenues are lost while costs remain unchanged. In this situation, it is crucial to ensure financial stability.

Multi-risk insurance offers a way to cover these risks. For example, they protect against damage to yields caused by communicable animal diseases or loss of production. Choosing the right insurance company is essential in order to receive adequate coverage in the event of damage. It is also important to avoid underinsurance so that in the event of damage you do not only receive partial compensation.

The BBV is therefore not only calling for a strengthening of multi-risk insurance, but also for the establishment of a state damage fund to ensure unbureaucratic compensation. With the current challenges associated with rooks, the need for action is urgent.

Overall, the situation in Upper Bavaria shows how important effective risk management and a supportive insurance system are for agriculture in order to secure the existence of farmers.