Dear Migros
What are you doing to ensure that our agriculture converts from conventional to organic farming as quickly as possible? Immediately... Not in a few years' time. Not yield maximization at the expense of the environment and animals, but organic, Demeter with heart and joy in the yield, grateful to nature.
I see you are importing supposedly organic vegetables from Spain. For me, that has nothing to do with organic.
To what extent are the imported and domestic organic products poisoned with pesticides and other waste?
Can I see the results of the sample analyses anywhere? Or what is the best place to turn to?
Glyphosate has been approved again in the EU for some time.
I can't believe it, because the stuff is also sprayed in Switzerland.
But it's not just about glyphosate - it's about all the factory farming, the use of antibiotics à discrétion, fertilizer in streams and everywhere else where it causes horrendous amounts of damage, other pesticides, herbicides, fungicides... Soil depletion... the list is probably endless.
And no, I'm not being pessimistic or unfair. It's the future that I have grave concerns about if we don't all change 180 degrees and rethink.
All replies (7)
Guest
Thank you for the message @NDee I am in contact with the responsible department and will get back to you as soon as I have more information.
Kind regards
Marina
Guest
@NDee
Whenever I ask myself this question about what would have to happen for a turnaround to occur virtually overnight, I end up feeling demotivated.
Even if absolutely no more artificial substances were used; then other problems come to mind: and if the crop yield drops; what happens then? Do we need more land? But that is already scarce! Maybe urban farming will be ready for the market?
...But... what happens to all the substances that are already in the soil, water and environment?
And so on.
And if I add regional to the organic criterion, then it stops. How likely is it that people will only be satisfied with regional products? No foreign trade? What will happen to all the countries that rely on agricultural exports (many developing countries)????
My goodness. I can't wait to hear Migros' answer.
Guest
Hello@Nathilo
We really appreciate the fact that you are concerned about the sustainable production of food. As a responsible company, this is also an important concern for Migros.
Organic products are very popular and demand is constantly increasing. To meet this demand, Migros is constantly expanding its organic range. We currently stock around 2,000 organic products, mainly under our Migros-Bio label and the Alnatura brand. We are constantly checking where it is possible to expand our range with organic products. As part of "Generation M", we have also made promises to expand our organic range and promote organic farming. For example, we specifically support research projects by Agroscope (Swiss Federal Agricultural Research Institute) and FiBL (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture), which benefit organic farmers.
Around 70% of our organic vegetables come from Swiss farms that produce according to the Bio Suisse (Bud) guidelines. However, due to seasonal fluctuations in production and climatic conditions, we are also dependent on organic products from abroad to meet demand.
Imported organic products also meet the strict requirements of Migros and the Swiss Organic Farming Ordinance, which forms the legal basis for all organic food marketed in Switzerland. This is guaranteed by strict controls by independent organizations along the entire supply chain. In addition, organic products at Migros are tested for pesticide residues in the laboratory according to a precisely defined sampling plan. The sample analyses carried out by Migros are not published. If we detect residues of unauthorized substances or limit value violations in organic and conventional products, we act immediately and withdraw the products from sale if necessary.
Migros aims to meet the different requirements of Migros customers with a range that is as varied as possible. Not everyone wants to or can buy organic products. That is why it is important for us to offer a wide range of sustainable products.
In addition to organic, we also carry other labels that offer answers to the most important challenges in agriculture. Such products are grouped under Cumulus-Green. Cumulus-Green includes twelve different sustainability labels, such as Migros-Bio, Alnatura, TerraSuisse and Max Havelaar. You can find out more about Cumulus-Green here: https://www.migros.ch/de/cumulus/ueber-cumulus/cumulus-green.html
In connection with glyphosate, it should be mentioned that IP-Suisse farmers who produce for the TerraSuisse label will also stop using this herbicide completely from next year. This means that, in addition to organic products, TerraSuisse products are also guaranteed to be produced without glyphosate. IP-Suisse producers are already using pesticides very responsibly. They do not use any fungicides, insecticides or growth regulators at all in cereal and rapeseed cultivation. They also pay attention to animal welfare and promote biodiversity on their farms by creating habitats for rare wild animals and plants. You can find more information about TerraSuisse here: https://www.migros.ch/de/eigenmarken-und-labels/terrasuisse-tierfreundliche-landwirtschaft/richtlinien.html
Migros' efforts go beyond the label range, however. In principle, we are committed to offering products from responsible sources. In doing so, we pursue a holistic approach that takes equal account of economic, ecological, social and animal welfare aspects. Together with our partners, we are constantly working to improve production conditions. This is demonstrated by our promises as part of "Generation M", such as the banana and animal welfare promises, to name just a few:
§ "We promise that all our bananas will be sustainable by the end of 2017."
With the popularity of the banana, Migros is taking on the task of growing the tropical fruit responsibly. On the one hand, the environment and resources should be protected and, on the other, acceptable social and working conditions should prevail on the plantations. These basic conditions apply to the entire banana range.
§ "We promise to introduce the high Swiss animal welfare standards for all our products from abroad by 2020."
Most of the animal products that Migros sells come from Switzerland. Migros is the largest buyer of Swiss agricultural products. Swiss animal welfare legislation is among the strictest in the world. Compared to certain circumstances abroad, there can be no talk of factory farming here.
However, where Swiss production cannot meet the demand for animal products, we are dependent on imports (e.g. poultry). Our aim is to raise the animal welfare standards for imported animal products to Swiss levels by 2020. For example, all fresh poultry meat at Migros is already produced according to Swiss standards. This is a great success. We will also continue to work on other animal species in order to keep our promise by 2020.
We also believe that the use of antibiotics must be reduced and that antibiotics should only be used when really necessary - to treat diseases. We support various research projects by FiBL and the Vetsuisse Faculty in Bern to ensure that such diseases do not arise in the first place and that fewer antibiotics are used. Antibiotics to promote performance have long been banned in the EU and Switzerland.
We agree with you that organic farming offers an answer to many problems in agriculture. However, it is not possible to cover the entire demand with organic products. In addition, switching to more sustainable production is a complex and challenging process that takes a lot of time.
As we have explained, we believe that there are other innovative solutions. Migros is constantly striving to find such solutions with the aim of offering its customers the widest possible range of sustainable products. This should enable us to meet the different needs of Migros' diverse customer base. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Kind regards, Marina
Dear Marina, dear Migros team
Thank you very much for your detailed answers.
I would simply like to point out once again that we are slowly poisoning our environment and ultimately ourselves. Anyone who has recognized this should immediately turn the tide and get together with the most experienced biodiversity experts - Migros certainly has sufficient capital - and discuss, plan and implement a different solution. Things can't go on as they are. Migros could become a pioneer, a role model for other companies in Switzerland and abroad.
I can see that my fears will probably not get me very far. But I can't resign myself to that... I just hope that Migros will one day invite concerned customers to sit down with them for a few days, for example, and discuss the problems.
By the way: I don't understand why the customer can't see the sample results. If the sample has already been analyzed, do I have to pay a lot of money to have it analyzed myself? I don't have the money for that. Migros does. What's the problem with not making these reports available somewhere on the website?
I'm worried, very worried - for our near future. Fortunately, we have woken up from this kind of deep sleep of ignorance, a stroke of fate within the family has shaken us awake...
... More and more young people are falling seriously ill. We need to clean up our environment, get rid of all the pollutants. So that what we eat can help us stay healthy again. Organic is a good start... but there is still a lot of room for improvement.
And yes, consumers must finally wake up and recognize the uncomfortable truth, accept it and want to do something about it. Migros, you have always reached a lot of children and families with your Manias. Use your high profile and raise awareness.
Kind regards
Nathilo
Guest
Hello @NDee
Thank you for your feedback. We can certainly understand your discomfort. As we have explained, we want to cover the different needs of all our customers.
Our range should offer a solution for health-conscious consumers and those with special dietary requirements (e.g. intolerances), as well as for particularly sustainability-conscious consumers. However, we also want to meet the needs of families with small household budgets.
That is why a wide range of products is important to us.
With over 2,000 organic products in the Migros supermarket, we believe that we also offer a wide range of products for those who specifically buy organic. We are also constantly expanding our organic range. However, if you want to buy exclusively organic food in one go, we recommend our Alnatura organic supermarkets. The shelves there are stocked exclusively with products from organic farming. In addition to the Alnatura organic brand, our organic label Migros-Bio can also be found there, as well as numerous products from other organic brands (such as Rapunzel) or organic labels (such as Bio-Suisse or Demeter). The total organic range in Alnatura organic supermarkets comprises around 5,000 items. You can find information about the Alnatura stores here: https://alnatura.migros.ch/de/bio-supermarkt.html
As mentioned, we take risk-based samples of all products from organic to conventional. We have analyses carried out by an external laboratory. In most cases, the results are flawless, i.e. there are no complaints. If we find any discrepancies, we block such products from sale and work with our suppliers to find the causes and take measures to improve them. Everything we offer in our stores meets the legal requirements and can be consumed without hesitation. We guarantee this and it is our legal duty as a retailer.
We do not publish the individual analysis results.
As the marketing of products in Switzerland is heavily regulated by law, the authorities also carry out regular checks. Enforcement is the responsibility of the cantonal authorities. Reports for consumers are publicly available on their website.
You can find more information here: http://www.kantonschemiker.ch/
If you have any further questions, just get in touch.
Kind regards
Marina
I can't believe it:
https://www.derbund.ch/schweiz/standard/bald-ist-in-gewaessern-3600mal-mehr-glyphosat-erlaubt/story/11271994
--> unfortunately only with login
https://www.blick.ch/news/wirtschaft/bauern-jubeln-umweltschuetzer-alarmiert-ueber-giftcocktails-leuthard-will-glyphosat-grenzwert-ums-3600-fache-erhoehen-id7705125.html
--> Blick,... jänu, but can be viewed free of charge.
Migros, you have to protect us consumers!
Guest
Hello @NDee
We can well understand that this headline gives you pause for thought. This is actually about the revision of the Water Protection Ordinance. The amendments are currently in the consultation process and the new ordinance is not yet legally binding. In terms of content, it is generally about residues in bodies of water (streams, rivers, lakes), not just the active ingredient glyphosate.
Today, a general limit value applies to all active substances (0.1 micrograms per liter). The aim of the revision is a differentiated approach for each active substance. Individual limit values are to be set for each active substance on the basis of scientific data. The limit value will also be lowered for certain active substances (<0.1 micrograms per liter). The protection goal of aquatic ecology, which is also formulated in the ordinance, still applies. Limit values for drinking water are regulated separately and set at a lower level.
Various interest groups have until mid-March 2018 to comment on the changes. As a retailer, we also have the opportunity to get involved at a political level. We will exercise this responsibility in the partial revision of the Water Protection Ordinance and examine the content.
Residues for foodstuffs are regulated in another ordinance: "Ordinance of the FDHA on maximum levels for pesticide residues in or on products of plant and animal origin (VPRH)". This also specifies the legally permitted maximum levels for glyphosate. The partial revision of the Water Protection Ordinance has no influence on the requirements of the VPRH.
As we have already mentioned, Migros carries out random and risk-based testing of foodstuffs for pesticide residues as part of its product range checks. If the legally defined maximum levels (according to the VPRH) are exceeded, clarifications are made and measures are initiated.
The protection of consumers is generally a major concern for us. In order to bring about improvements, we are active in many ways in addition to our exemplary quality assurance.
These are just a few examples of our efforts in the area of sustainability. You can find further topics on our Generation M website. We take this issue seriously and it is also important for us to act transparently with this communication.
Kind regards
Marina