Rooks threaten crops – farmers demand immediate help!

Rooks threaten crops – farmers demand immediate help!

The Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV) held a press conference in Fürstenfeldbruck about an urgent problem: the massive damage to agricultural crops caused by the ever-growing population of rooks. Participants in the event included BBV district president Ralf Huber, district chairmen from Landsberg and Aichach-Friedberg as well as numerous affected farmers and hunters. Local press offices and a television crew were also present to report on the challenges that many farmers are currently facing. At the conference it became clear that the protection status of rooks in Bavaria, which have now grown to around 20,000 breeding pairs, enormously limits farmers' ability to act.

The rook, although a strictly protected species, causes significant economic damage, particularly during the sowing and germination phase of crops. These mainly affect corn, vegetables, sunflowers and pumpkin. Last year, over 730,000 euros in damage caused by agricultural businesses were reported to the BBV. Farms are forced to look for solutions. Some try later sowing or deeper planting; Nevertheless, the financial consequences are enormous: reseeding can cost up to 100 euros per hectare. In addition, deterrent measures such as flags or blank guns are only effective for a short time, as the crows quickly learn that they pose no real danger.

The conflict between agriculture and nature conservation

The increasing population of rooks, which grew by 1,163 breeding pairs to 8,949 in Upper Bavaria alone in 2023, poses serious challenges for farmers. The BBV therefore demands that the legal framework offers farmers more scope for action in order to reduce rook populations. District President Huber has called for concrete intervention to curb the spread of the crow population. However, a request from Bavaria to reduce the protection status of the rooks was rejected by the Federal Council.

Meanwhile, hunters want to actively contribute to solving the problem. However, they are not allowed to intervene due to the protected status of the animals. A possible solution could be the removal of breeding nests in order to sustainably decimate the population. However, there is also criticism of such measures. Conservationists point out that human interference in the animals' habitats can lead to an imbalance. Crows are also considered valuable pest killers if they are not disturbed.

Financial support and management strategies

The BBV has appealed to the authorities and political decision-makers to strike a balance between the interests of species protection and agriculture. This demand includes the creation of a damage fund and the promotion of insurance to ensure the economic security of companies. A science-based rook management strategy is also considered necessary. Developments in recent years make it clear that the conflict between agriculture and nature conservation continues and urgent solutions must be found.

In summary, the discussions about the rooks show that the continued increase in their population poses significant economic challenges for farmers, which can only be solved together with a clever balance between species protection and agricultural interests.

For detailed information on this topic, you can refer to the articles Mercury and Agricultural world be read.