Federal Council speaks out against the food initiative

The Federal Council has spoken out against the Food Initiative, which calls for Swiss food production to focus more on plant-based products. It argues that it is not feasible to implement the initiative within the required timeframe.

The initiative calls for the net self-sufficiency rate to be increased to 70 percent within ten years, while at the same time achieving the environmental goals of agriculture. According to the Federal Council, this would require far-reaching changes in food production and consumer behavior. These measures could have far-reaching consequences for the entire sector.

The Federal Council is not considering a counter-proposal to the initiative. Nevertheless, it recognizes the importance of certain concerns of the initiative, such as strengthening food security and reducing the ecological footprint of agriculture. These issues are to be incorporated into the agricultural policy from 2030 (AP30+).

The consultation on the further development of agricultural policy is planned for the second half of 2026. The popular initiative "For food security - by strengthening sustainable domestic production, more plant-based food and clean drinking water" was submitted last August.