More security for farmers: National Council strengthens divorce regulations!

More security for farmers: National Council strengthens divorce regulations!

A significant step towards the financial security of spouses in agriculture was recently passed in the National Council. With a clear majority of 170 votes, Parliament voted for a new regulation that is intended to improve the situation of partners of agricultural business managers in the event of divorce. Only 12 MPs voted against the bill, while 4 abstained. This decision comes at a time when many agricultural spouses are heavily financially dependent on their partners, which often leads to existential problems when they separate nau.ch reported.

What does it look like in detail? Often, partners who work on the farm cannot be adequately involved in the business. In the event of a divorce, this often leads to financial emptiness for the partners concerned. The new regulation is intended to ensure compensation for their work in the future. In addition, it is required that married and partnered managers obtain joint advice on cooperation and financial rights in order to receive financial aid for future structural improvements.

Changes in the agricultural law

This measure is related to an amendment to the Agriculture Act, which the Federal Council put out for consultation on September 29, 2023. The aim of this initiative is to ensure that spouses of farmers are adequately compensated for the work they have done in the event of a divorce law.ch. The consultation on this will run until the beginning of January 2024. A balanced approach to property law should ensure more justice here.

Especially in rural areas, it is not uncommon for agricultural businesses to have their existence threatened by divorce. If one partner wants to continue the farm, this may result in them being forced to sell parts of the business in order to cover the financial needs of the other partner. This not only represents a personal tragedy, but also affects the security of supply for the population, as on the platform divorce.de is noted. The continued existence of the companies is therefore very important.

Important points for the future

The new regulations are intended to stabilize and promote the legal framework not only for spouses, but also for companies. Agricultural operations can be better protected through specific regulations in the Civil Code. It is important that the compensation of gains for the economically weaker partner is clearly regulated. This is not determined according to the usual market values, but rather according to earnings values, based on the last five business financial statements. This creates a fairer and more sustainable basis for the financial situation of agricultural businesses after a separation.

In summary, with this decision the National Council has not only sent an important signal for the equality of partners in agriculture, but also recognized the need to protect agricultural businesses in their essential role. The coming months will show how the consultations on these regulations develop and what further steps are necessary to achieve real equality for everyone involved.