At the beginning of October, a ruling by the Administrative Court (VwGH) caused uncertainty among many Carinthian farmers. The storage of silo bales in open space is therefore only permitted with a permit under the Nature Conservation Act. That should change now:
There was great excitement when a Carinthian farmer’s objection was rejected by the highest judges. Environmentalists had reported him for storing foil-wrapped silo bales in a pasture outside the settlement area, the “Krone” reported.
Meanwhile, farmers described the judgment of the Viennese judges as “impractical”, and now the responsible regional councils have developed a solution to this problem:
“In close coordination between the State Councilor responsible for nature conservation, Sara Schaar, the agricultural official, Deputy Governor Martin Gruber and the farmers’ interest group, a practical solution has now been found,” the state announced in a press release. . The decision stipulates that temporary storage of silage bales in the open landscape without a Nature Conservation Act permit is permitted if the silage bales are not stored in the area for more than one year. However, this only applies outside wetlands; Interim storage is also not permitted in the red danger zone of rivers.
State Vice President Martin Gruber is satisfied with the result: “The aim was to quickly find a practical arrangement for the farms, and this interim solution has succeeded. Storing silo bales in the landscape without a permit has been common practice in Carinthia for decades and is therefore still possible. “But it is important to work on legal regulations in the long term,” says Gruber.
Chamber Chairman for Agriculture Siegfried Huber is also relieved about the agreement: “The one-year period for the interim storage of silage bales is a practical approach. I would like to thank nature conservation officer Sara Schaar, who showed in the conversations that she is open to the concerns of farmers in Carinthia!”
State Councilor Sara Schaar: “This case makes it clear once again that we can quickly come to feasible solutions if we meet each other on an equal footing.”
Legal regulations are yet to come
Because a legal settlement would have taken months due to the deadlines, those responsible came to a solution by means of a decree. “Legal exceptions for the storage of harvested goods in open countryside as part of good agriculture and forestry exist in all federal states. That is also our goal in Carinthia,” Huber explains. It has therefore been agreed to legally anchor the interim storage of agricultural and forestry products during the next amendment to the Nature Conservation Act.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
