Bad weather Farm animals in Misox make it through the winter thanks to feed donations

The feed transports to the southern Graubünden valley of Misox, which was devastated by storms, were completed on Tuesday. 25 farms benefited from the solidarity campaign, which was initiated by the Graubünden Farmers' Association, regional associations and the cantonal agricultural training center Plantahof.

Farmer Matteo Dressi keeps 70 head of cattle in Lostallo GR. The military delivered 180 bales of hay for his animals in the last few days. "We have received good feed. We should survive this winter well," he says in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency.

The flooding at the end of June also damaged agricultural land on the Misox valley floor. At the end of July, the Graubünden authorities said that around 100 hectares of agricultural land had been covered in mud, debris and wood. As long as the land is not cleared, it cannot be farmed.

Dressi's farm is now one of around 25 in Misox that have benefited from the donations of 200 farming families. A total of 1600 hay bales and 300 silos were delivered, explained Sandro Michael, Director of the Graubünden Farmers' Association. "It was an intensive week. Everyone wanted to help and was happy to take part in this campaign."

He was referring to the sixty or so soldiers who made around one hundred trips from the many valleys of the canton of Graubünden and central Switzerland to the Misox over the course of a week.

Costs to be shared

The authorized support from the army was provided in accordance with the ordinance on the support of civilian and off-duty activities with military resources, explained army spokesman Mathias Volken. The assumption of costs is also regulated in the text. "The person submitting the application bears the additional costs for food, accommodation and fuel," Volken continued.

In this case, the application was submitted by the Graubünden Farmers' Association. In order to cover the costs, we have already submitted an application to the canton and the Donations Commission," said Michael. A response has not yet been received.

SDA