Agriculture Act (AgricA)
Amended by No I of the FA of 22 March 2013, in force since 1 Jan. 2014 (AS 2013 3463, 3863; BBl 2012 2075).
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Chapter 1 General Provisions
Art. 70 Basic principle
1 Farmers receive direct payments as compensation for the public services they provide. 2 Direct payments include: a. subsidies for farmland; b. subsidies for ensuring supply; c. biodiversity subsidies; d. subsidies for production systems; e. subsidies for regional biodiversity and landscape quality; f. bridging subsidies. 3 The Federal Council stipulates the level of subsidies, taking into account the extent of the public services provided the work involved in providing such services and the potential market yield.
Para. 2 let. f — Amended by No I of the FA of 16 June 2023, in force since 1 Jan. 2026 (AS 2024 623; BBl 2020 3955).
Art. 70a Requirements
1 Direct payments are made on condition that: a. the business is run as a farm; b. proof of ecological performance can be provided; c. agricultural production methods comply with the provisions of legislation on the protection of waters, the environment and animal welfare; d. the land farmed does not lie within a designated building zone that has been legally excluded under planning legislation after this provision comes into force; e. a minimum amount of labour on the farm in standard labour units is reached; f. a minimum amount of work is carried out by labourers employed by the farm; g. the farmer is not over a certain age; h. the farmer has a qualification in agriculture. 2 Proof of ecological performance includes: a. appropriate conditions for livestock; b. balanced use of fertilisers; c. an adequate proportion of land set aside for biodiversity; d. regulation use of objects included in inventories of national interest under the terms of the Federal Act of 1 July 1966 on Nature an
Para. 2 let. d — SR 451
Art. 70b Special requirements for summer pastures
1 In summer pasture areas, direct payments are made to farmers who use a summer grazing farm, who belong to a summer grazing cooperative or who graze their livestock on summer pastures. 2 The conditions stated in Article 70a paragraph 1 do not apply to summer pastures, with the exception of letter c. 3 The Federal Council shall set out the farming requirements for summer pastures.
Chapter 2 Subsidies
Art. 71 Subsidies for farmland
1 Subsidies are paid for maintaining open farmland. These subsidies include: a. a payment per hectare, graduated by zone, in order to encourage the farming of individual zones; b. a graduated difficulty payment per hectare based on gradient and type of land-use in hilly areas in order to encourage farming under topographically difficult conditions; c. in addition, a graduated payment based on the proportion of hay meadows on steep slopes; d. a payment for grazing certain livestock for 100 days on summer pastures for farms run on a year-round basis in order to encourage the use of Alpine pastures; e. a summer grazing subsidy, graduated according to livestock category, per livestock unit on summer grazing or per normal stock in order to encourage the use and maintenance of summer pastures. 2 In the case of summer grazing subsidies, the Federal Council shall stipulate the acceptable level of occupation and livestock categories for which the subsidy is paid.
Art. 72 Subsidies for ensuring supplies
1 Subsidies for ensuring supplies are paid to maintain reliable food supplies for the population. These subsidies include: a. a basic payment per hectare to maintain production capacity; b. a payment per hectare to ensure an adequate proportion of open farmland with long-term cropping; c. a graduated payment per hectare for degree of difficulty in upland and mountain areas to maintain production capacity under climatic difficulties. 2 In the case of grazing land, subsidies are only paid if the farm has a minimum number of cattle. The Federal Council shall stipulate minimum livestock numbers. It may decide that no minimum is necessary for cultivated meadows and areas of land reserved for promoting biodiversity, and set a lower basic payment for the latter. 3 Subsidies for ensuring supply may also be paid for land in other countries along the Swiss border under the terms of Article 43 paragraph a of the Customs Tariff Act of 18 March 2005.
Para. 3 — SR 631.0
Art. 73 Biodiversity subsidies
1 Biodiversity subsidies are paid in order to promote and maintain biodiversity. They are paid per hectare and graduated according to the type and quality of the area reserved for promoting biodiversity and the zone. 2 The Federal Council shall decide on the types and level of quality of areas reserved for promoting biodiversity for which subsidies are paid.
Art. 73 — Amended by No I of the FA of 16 June 2023, in force since 1 Jan. 2026 (AS 2024 623; BBl 2020 3955).
Art. 74
Repealed by No I of the FA of 16 June 2023, with effect from 1 Jan. 2026 (AS 2024 623; BBl 2020 3955).
Art. 75 Subsidies for production systems
1 Subsidies are paid for production systems to promote near-natural and environmentally and animal friendly types of production. These subsidies include: a. a graduated payment per hectare, depending on type of use, for production methods used throughout the farm; b. a graduated payment, depending on type of use and impact, for production methods used on part of the farm; c. a graduated payment per livestock unit, depending on the category of animal, for especially animal-friendly methods of production. 2 The Federal Council shall decide what types of production are to be promoted.
Para. 1 let. b — Amended by No I of the FA of 16 June 2023, in force since 1 Jan. 2025 (AS 2024 623; BBl 2020 3955).
Art. 76 Subsidies for regional biodiversity and landscape quality
1 In order to promote regional biodiversity and landscape quality, project-related subsidies shall be paid for: a. linking areas reserved for promoting biodiversity and implementing other biodiversity measures; b. promoting, maintaining and further developing diverse farmland. 2 The Confederation shall grant subsidies for the implementation of regional projects it has approved. A project shall include a situation analysis, objectives, measures and subsidies. If the overarching objectives are achieved, a regional project may be converted into ongoing funding. 3 The Confederation shall provide a maximum of 90 per cent of the subsidies specified in the project. The cantonal authorities shall cover the remaining part. 4 The Federal Council may specify maximum subsidies on a per hectare or per normal stock basis.
Art. 76 — Amended by No I of the FA of 16 June 2023, in force since 1 Jan. 2026 (AS 2024 623; BBl 2020 3955).
Art. 77 Bridging subsidies
1 Bridging subsidies are paid to ensure development under socially acceptable terms. 2 Bridging subsidies are based on the approved credits minus subsidies under Articles 71–76, 77a and 77b, and compensatory payments under Article 62a of the Federal Act on the Protection of Waters of 24 January 1991. 3 Bridging subsidies are paid per farm. The subsidy for the individual farm is based on the difference between the general direct payments before the change of system and the subsidies according to articles 71 paragraph 1 letters a–c and 72 after the change of system. The difference is determined on the basis of the structure of the farm before the change of system. 4 The Federal Council shall decide on: a. the calculation of subsidies for individual farms; b. the modalities in the case of transfer of ownership of farms and major structural changes; c. limits in relation to the taxable income and wealth of the farmers above which subsidies are reduced or refused, a higher limit being set f
Para. 2 — SR 814.20