MP: Halved employer contributions should strengthen food preparedness

In these times of concern, more needs to be done to increase profitability and facilitate Swedish food production, the Environment Party believes. The party’s proposal is to halve the employer’s contribution for agriculture and dairies, bakeries, breweries, slaughterhouses and other food industry.

– We must strengthen Swedish agriculture and thus our preparedness and increase the ability to support ourselves with food, says Amanda Lind.

She points out that only about half of the food eaten today in Sweden is produced within the country’s borders.

Last week laid the government forth its strategy to Strengthen Swedish food production. The goal is to increase domestic manufacturing, promote Swedish -produced goods and reduce Sweden’s vulnerability in the event of a crisis.

– It is good that you want to increase profitability in Swedish agriculture, but the government’s strategy lacks concretion. We believe that our proposal is an important puzzle piece to strengthen Swedish preparedness, says Amanda Lind.

She points out that the government points out precisely the cost of labor as a challenge for Swedish food production and hopes that a halved employer contribution can create more jobs.

– We know that many are struggling with profitability, especially small and medium -sized companies, says Amanda Lind.

The cost of lowering the employer contribution estimates the Environmental Party at SEK 4.5 billion.

Where should the money be taken from?

– We see that there is a reform space and that we need to invest in strengthening the total defense, where food production is an obvious thing. And we’ve seen how the government made a play about Raised root deduction which costs 4.5 billion.

Amanda Lind hopes that a lowered employer’s contribution can also lead to the hotly debated food prices.

– The proposal may be a puzzle piece to reduce the price of Swedish -produced food, but primarily this is about strengthening our self -sufficiency.

Is it really compatible with EU rules to benefit its own production over other EU countries?

– The EU changed state aid rules a few years ago. As the situation is now, with the state of preparedness and climate crisis, there is every reason for the government to go forward and test whether this can be an exception, says Amanda Lind.

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