Ticino farmers: support against the drought must come quickly

The Union of Ticino Farmers has responded to criticism directed at the sector by the Swiss Farmers' Union over its handling of climate change.

The picture the organisation describes is concrete. Extreme weather events are hitting agriculture with growing frequency. In June a hailstorm struck the Mendrisiotto. Drought continues to cause water supply problems, particularly on alpine pastures.

The consequences are visible on the farms. The organisation reports animals falling ill, fodder insufficient for the winter and crops drying in the fields.

The measures already in force

Several steps have already been taken. The Agriculture Section has classified the 2026 drought as a case of force majeure, allowing direct payments to be made in full even where the prescribed conditions are not met.

Procedures for emergency withdrawal of irrigation water have also been simplified. Farms can access civil protection pumping equipment. Since 1 August, duties on imported fodder have been abolished.

The Union nonetheless calls for immediate support measures and for rapid, tangible results in dealing with the effects of climate change.

Alongside its request to the authorities, the organisation addresses farming families directly. It urges those with resources to share them with struggling colleagues: access to alpine pastures, water reserves, fodder and grazing land.

That request shifts part of the burden inside the sector itself. It works as long as some farms still have margin, and becomes less practical if the dry spell extends to every part of the canton.

Those with less land and fewer reserves remain the most exposed. They are the small, often family-run farms that cannot offset a lost season by selling stock or through other activities.