Shell companies: Swiss want to make snail farming easier 

Infrastructure for snail farming in Switzerland is not currently eligible for authorisation in agricultural zones because snails are not classified as livestock. Keystone

The Swiss parliament wants to promote snail farming and is calling on the government to amend legislation so that small-scale breeding facilities on farms can be authorised.  

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Following the Senate, the House of Representatives adopted an amended motion by Ticino politician Bruno Storni on Thursday. In his motion, Storni wrote that infrastructure for snail farming was not currently eligible for authorisation in agricultural zones. 

This is because snails are not classified as livestock, confirmed Economics Minister Guy Parmelin in September 2023 when Storni’s motion was discussed in the House of Representatives.  

According to Storni, snail farming is a clean and ecological branch of agriculture with great potential. In Italy, production has tripled in five years and turnover has increased by €350 million (CHF343.41 million). 

The government has now been instructed to draw up the required amendments at legislative or regulatory level. According to parliamentary documents, the aim is to allow smaller facilities on farms to be authorised. The amendment to the text of the motion to this effect is based on a proposal by the government. 

According to minutes from the Senate’s preliminary consultation committee in March of this year, the legal amendment should make it possible to erect fences and enclosures for snail farming on farms. However, constructing a building for this purpose would remain prohibited.  

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Livestock?

Storni also wanted snails to be classed as livestock, however this went too far for the Senate. Prior to Thursday’s debate, the House of Representative’s preliminary committee praised the new wording of Storni’s motion as “practice-orientated”. The proposal is based on existing regulations in aquaculture.   

In 2004, Armin Bähler opened a snail farm on a former farm in Elgg, canton Zurich. Photos from the time showed fields of lettuce, cabbage and sunflowers, surrounded by low fencing. Bähler closed the farm in December of last year, announcing on his website that the “constantly critical climate conditions” had caused him increasing problems. 

Adapted from German by DeepL/kp/ts 

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