SHERIDAN, WYOMING – Jan. 29, 2025 – In the lead-up to the upcoming federal elections in Germany, the Industrieverband Garten (IVG) e.V., a leading association of gardening industry manufacturers, is urging policymakers to prioritize the green sector. The IVG has issued a list of demands aimed at creating a supportive economic environment for businesses in the gardening industry, ensuring their continued planning security and competitiveness.
IVG’s Key Demands to Foster a Thriving Green Sector
The IVG's core demands address both general economic concerns, such as reducing bureaucracy, and sector-specific issues like plant protection, raw material extraction, peat reduction, and garden irrigation. The document outlining these demands is available for download on the IVG website: www.ivg.org.
The Vital Role of Gardens in Society
Gardens and green spaces are essential for quality of life, promoting biodiversity, and ensuring sustainability. They provide millions of people in Germany with spaces for relaxation, inspiration, and community. Gardens also serve as vital habitats for countless animal and plant species, preserve a variety of plant breeds, and contribute significantly to the economy.
The green sector is a growth engine, creating jobs, fostering innovation, and contributing to the stability and development of both rural and urban areas through its sustainable value creation. "To fully utilize the potential of gardens for society, decisive political support is necessary," says Philip Testroet, Deputy Managing Director of the IVG. "We have sent these demands to the political parties and summarized them in a flyer for the interested public."
Specific Calls for Action to Strengthen the Gardening Industry
The IVG is calling for a range of measures, including:
- Supporting industry and horticulture with funding programs and a significant reduction in bureaucratic hurdles. This will enable businesses to invest in innovation and sustainable practices.
- Securing the extraction of domestic resources. This will reduce reliance on imports and promote regional economic development.
- Expanding funding for research and development of new, safe plant protection products. This is crucial to ensuring the health of plants and ecosystems.
- Securing the entire green infrastructure through irrigation during periods of extreme drought. Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of droughts, making irrigation essential to preserve green spaces.
The IVG’s Commitment to a Flourishing Green Sector
The IVG represents around 150 member companies in the gardening industry, including plant producers, manufacturers of forestry, garden, and lawn care equipment, garden lifestyle products, plant nutrition, health and care products, substrates, soils, and raw materials, as well as manufacturers of products for commercial horticulture. The IVG focuses on information, networking, public relations, and advocacy.
"We urge policymakers to take concrete steps to strengthen the importance of gardens in the areas of people, nature, and the economy, and to secure them for the long term," emphasizes Testroet. By addressing the IVG’s demands, policymakers can help ensure a thriving future for the green sector and the numerous benefits it provides.
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