Initiative for freeing land in social purchase
Initiative for land purchase The continued existence of an agriculture geared to sustainability will depend on its anchoring in social consciousness. Today's approach to land and soil, which is expressed in real estate speculation, means that newly established farms will have to bear high financing costs. In addition, the conditions of the market, which is dominated by corporations, lead to producer prices which are difficult to cover the operating costs of agriculture. The Initiative Landfreikauf aims at the foundation of communities that buy land from speculation and in which awareness of the necessity of agriculture can be created and maintained. In order to enable people to work as farmers, the right of succession must be renewed. A whole "kingdom" must be taken over by those who want to cultivate the land and bring in the fruits of the earth. How can he come to this? Who hands it over to Him? If he was born in the court, he usually wants to go out into the city and into less arduous professions. When he comes out of the city, any way is blocked or connected with the payment of heavy debts, and of interest, which gives money to other people without sense, before the huge purchase sums. How can farm property be brought out of the bloodstream to a mode where people who give advice can find suitable professionals for the benefit of all? Not every farm is equally affected by the fact that private property has become an inhibiting form of ownership. For many, however, it is time to gradually find more open forms, for a value that concerns us all, a value that we all know is a fundamental right of everyone: the land, the landscape. How can we achieve this? 1. functional property A farm is transferred into the ownership of an association (or foundation). For example, the following is agreed for the transfer of a farm: - Right of first election for close relatives - In which sense does the transferee plan to continue the farm and can this be recognized as purposeful? - Professional skills Through the common property in the background as promoter and holder of rights the private property becomes the functional property. It is represented by the elaborated and written down legal relationship of the court owner to the community (the association, the foundation). Functional ownership means unrestricted power of disposal in the professional function within the framework of the self-imposed agreements with the community to which the Court is oriented. This may be connected with the Court in an idealistic sense, as a consumer or, for example, as a seasonal employee or holiday guest. 2. community supported agriculture (CSA) Another approach, which is more perimetric and leaves new legislation to the future, is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). In America there are about 2500, comparable farms in Germany are called self-catering farms or supplier communities (9 examples in Germany). "The basic idea of a CSA is that a farm supplies its environment with food, while the environment provides the farm with the necessary (financial) means to be able to farm. In this way both parties assume mutual responsibility." (quote from "Living Earth" 2/2008).
