Parmelin defends government support for Swiss farmers amid drought

With drought-related losses in agriculture expected to reach record levels, Swiss Agriculture Minister Guy Parmelin has defended the government's response. He argues that existing laws provide sufficient tools to support farmers and that there is no need to declare a state of emergency. Harvests of crops in Switzerland including potatoes, sugar beet and maize are expected to be poor, while livestock farmers face shortages of fodder. The drought is adding to pressures already weighing on the…