Farmers in France, the European Union s biggest agricultural producer, say they are not being paid enough and are choked by excessive regulation on environmental protection. Some of their concerns, like competition from cheaper imports and environmental rules, are shared by producers in the rest of the EU while other issues such as food price negotiations are more specific to France. (Image credit: AP)
He is calling for measures built around incentives instead of bans.
Agriculture Minister Kloeckner on Wednesday pledged financial support and compensation for farmers affected by the insect protection plans, without giving detailed figures.
She also said the government would co-finance the purchase of so-called precision farming equipment, which can distribute fertiliser and pesticides more accurately, reducing the amount used.
The bill was first proposed in 2019.
Angela Merkel s government said the law will protect a declining insect population (Image: GETTY)
A large-scale study in Germany in 2017 was one of the first to raise global alarm bells about the plunge in insect populations, triggering warnings of an ecological apocalypse .