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An alliance of 12 signatory associations and organizations has published a joint position paper on gate reduction. This invites politicians and retailers to work together to harmonize the goals of gate reduction in a constructive and feasible way. The reason for this is the existing dilemma in Germany regarding the different formulation of goals for goal reduction and a series of conflicting goals and obstacles to implementation.

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Presenting the joint position paper on peat reduction at IPM ESSEN (from left): Moderator Philip Testroet, Head of the Horticulture and Environment Division (IVG), Eva Kähler-Theuerkauf, Vice President of the German Horticultural Association (ZVG), Thomas Kramer, Spokesperson for the Substrates, Soils and Raw Materials Division at the IVG, Niels Sommer, Bund deutscher Baumschulen (BdB) e. V. and Ulrike Wegener, Head of the Substrates, Soils and Raw Materials Division at the IVG. V. and Ulrike Wegener, Managing Director of the Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen (GGS).
Presenting the joint position paper on peat reduction at IPM ESSEN (from left): Moderator Philip Testroet, Head of the Horticulture and Environment Division (IVG), Eva Kähler-Theuerkauf, Vice President of the German Horticultural Association (ZVG), Thomas Kramer, Spokesperson for the Substrates, Soils and Raw Materials Division at the IVG, Niels Sommer, Bund deutscher Baumschulen (BdB) e. V. and Ulrike Wegener, Head of the Substrates, Soils and Raw Materials Division at the IVG. V. and Ulrike Wegener, Managing Director of the Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen (GGS).IVG
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A joint press conference was held at IPM ESSEN on Thursday, January 25, 2024. The associations involved, represented by the Central Horticultural Association (ZVG), the Quality Association for Substrates for Plants (GGS), the Association of German Nurseries (BdB) and the Garden Industry Association (IVG), presented the position paper and answered questions.

As all parties involved in the value chain must work closely together in order to be successful on the path to greater sustainability in substrate production, but also in horticulture in general, the signatories unanimously advocate a series of proposed solutions in their position paper and invite politicians to take this path together. The establishment of a commission (similar to the coal commission) or a "round table" would be a first organizational, but essential, step.

Focus on planning security for the value chain

The solutions mentioned in the position paper relate, among other things, to the areas of tension of planning security and flexibility for the value chain, ensuring quality and cultural security, adapting the legal framework and expanding the availability and security of raw materials. New approaches are also needed to educate consumers. The ZVG has already emphasized in the past that peat-reduced growing media should be used as much as possible.

"A peat reduction of 40 to 50 percent can be achieved in many crops with reasonable effort, but further reductions are very costly and risky," says Eva Kähler-Theuerkauf, Vice President of the ZVG. "Longer transition periods and further research projects are needed. The crop safety of the farms must continue to have the highest priority."

As a representative of substrate manufacturers, the IVG also emphasizes that peat substitutes are not available in sufficient quantities, continuity and in the required qualities at economical prices to completely eliminate the use of peat. "We need to increase the availability of peat substitutes," says Thomas Kramer, spokesman for the Substrates, Soils and Raw Materials department at IVG. "In our view, the risk of a migration of production branches or the resulting increase in import volumes of products should be prevented at all costs."

The full position paper can be downloaded in german from the IVG website.

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