Swiss snails inch towards farm livestock status

Parliament ponders whether snails should have the same status as cows and horses. © Keystone / Urs Flueeler

Snail farming should be defined as agriculture, and snails should be recognised as farm animals: the House of Representatives approved a motion with these demands against the will of the Federal Council with 146 votes to 31. 

Now it’s the turn of the Senate.

National Councillor Bruno Storni (SP/TI) submitted the motion because infrastructure construction for snail farming in agricultural zones cannot currently be approved, as he said in the council on Wednesday. 

Snail farming is a clean and ecological branch of agriculture with great potential. In Italy, production has tripled in five years and sales have increased by €350 million (CHF334 million).

The Federal Council rejected the motion but will now submit an amendment to the responsible Senate Commission. Accordingly, only “smaller facilities” for snail farming in the agricultural zones should be approved.

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