Sonnentor committed to a grandchildren-friendly Austria

The herbal specialist Sonnentor has initiated an association for the promotion of an Austrian environment suitable for grandchildren. This association is committed to agriculture free from pesticides and wants to support organic farmers whose crops have been contaminated by pesticide drift.

In the beginning of 2018, numerous organic producers and organic food retailers in Germany, including Sonnentor, joined forces to form an initiative for agriculture suitable for grandchildren (Bündnis für eine enkeltaugliche Landwirtschaft). Now, the organic producer has launched a corresponding initiative in Austria. During the presentation of the new association, the ecologist Johann Zaller explained that every year, 12,900 tons of chemical sprays are applied to the fields in Austria. In Zaller’s words, this means one and a half kilos of poison for every Austrian. He stated that in a recent study of his, he found 12 different pesticides – on playgrounds. The large majority of these pesticides can interfere with our hormonal systems, something particularly problematic in children, said the scientist.

A problem from the point of view of the Sonnentor producers is the drift of pesticides onto their fields. The organic farmer Johann Neuner said that in the worst case, the harvest can not be commercialized as organic, which means financial losses. For smaller farms, this might even threaten their existence. This threat was an essential factor in the foundation of the association. Sonnentor founder Johannes Gutmann explained that they knew they had to answer the organic farmers’ cry for help. All Sonnentor farmers are member of the association and contribute a small part of their profits. The sum generated would be used to compensate those affected who are unable to sell their harvest as organic goods through no fault of their own.

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