Foot-and-mouth disease is affecting Berlin’s Green Week, leading to fewer animal exhibits at the agricultural fair. The event, celebrating its 99th year, focuses on modern agriculture, sustainability, and alternative diets with around 1,500 exhibitors. Key discussions will address agricultural challenges, including food security and sustainable practices. In addition, farmers are advocating for political reforms, while a coalition plans a demonstration to push for socially and ecologically sustainable agricultural policies during the fair.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease Impacting Berlin’s Green Week
The ongoing outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease is casting a shadow over the Green Week event. As the agricultural fair opens its doors to the public today in Berlin, attendees will notice a significant reduction in the number of animals on display compared to previous years.
Opening Ceremony and Key Themes
The Green Week officially commenced on Thursday evening, with notable figures in attendance, including Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir from the Greens and Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner from the CDU. On Friday morning, the exhibition welcomed visitors, with organizers anticipating around 300,000 attendees at the Berlin exhibition grounds through January 26.
Celebrating its 99th year, the Green Week is focusing on critical themes such as modern agricultural practices, sustainability, and alternative diets. A total of 1,500 exhibitors from nearly 60 countries are showcasing a variety of products, services, and interactive workshops that encourage hands-on participation.
Approximately 300 events are scheduled throughout the fair to address the challenges within agriculture and food production while proposing viable solutions. Expert panels, seminars, and lectures will cover essential topics, including food security, sustainable agriculture practices, stable supply chains, alternative fuels, and rural development. A significant highlight will be the 17th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), taking place from January 15 to 18, attracting over 2,000 experts from various fields at the CityCube Berlin.
Changes to Animal Exhibits and Farmer Advocacy
This year’s Green Week will showcase fewer animals due to the detection of foot-and-mouth disease in Brandenburg, leading authorities to take precautionary measures. The virus was found in a herd of water buffalo in Hönow, prompting the decision to exclude cloven-hoofed animals from the exhibition. According to Lars Jaeger, the director of the Green Week, “In coordination with the veterinary office, we will not have any cloven-hoofed animals on site,” meaning that while cattle, sheep, goats, and alpacas are absent, other farm and pet animals will be present.
Additionally, the live program has undergone changes to maintain safety protocols. “We will improvise. We will now do the shows with horses, rabbits, and donkeys,” Jaeger shared with rbb.
As the Green Week unfolds, farmers’ president Joachim Rukwied is advocating for significant political reform in Germany. He insists on a “fundamental restart” and calls for “effective bureaucracy reduction for our farms,” emphasizing the critical role farmers play in ensuring a stable food supply during uncertain times.
In a related development, a coalition of approximately 60 organizations from agriculture and civil society is organizing a demonstration this weekend, coinciding with the Green Week and the upcoming 2025 federal election. The protest, themed “Who actually benefits here?” is spearheaded by the alliance “We are fed up,” which seeks to promote socially and ecologically sustainable agricultural reforms.
Campaign leader Anne Skambraks stated, “We expect the upcoming federal government to finally prioritize the common good over corporate interests,” while Greenpeace’s Martin Kaiser criticized the current government’s agricultural policy as lacking progress. With 10,000 participants already registered, the anticipation for this demonstration is high, as the alliance has consistently called for action in conjunction with the agricultural fair.