III · 03 Record — Speeches & Statements
Documented speeches and public statements, with date, place, subject and context, a short summary, a brief quotation where one is verified, and the source.
Quotations are reproduced in German as published, with English translations by this site. The list is a selection, not a complete record. The Bundestag media library holds the full video archive.
15Jan 2015
Bundestag portrait
An official Bundestag article portraying the butcher and mayor in his first term.
„Die Wahrheit ist immer der richtige Weg, auch wenn sie manchmal nicht angenehm ist.“
“The truth is always the right path, even if it is sometimes unpleasant.”
May2025
Government statement
His first Regierungserklärung, setting out the coalition’s agricultural priorities after taking office.
07Nov 2025
Statement
After the Bundestag vote restoring the full refund from 2026.
„Wir halten Wort. Die Agrardieselrückerstattung kommt komplett zurück.“
“We are keeping our word. The agricultural diesel refund is coming back in full.”
14Jan 2026
Bundestag speech
Introduced the bill bringing the wolf under the Federal Hunting Act. It passed on 5 March 2026.
17Jan 2026
Conference
Host of the 18th Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference during the 100th International Green Week, under the motto “Water. Harvests. Our Future.”
08Mar 2026
Statement
Welcomed the compromise that keeps “veggie burger” and “veggie sausage” as permitted names.
„Es ist gut, dass das Veggie-Schnitzel-Verbot vom Tisch ist.“
“It is good that the veggie-schnitzel ban is off the table.”
10Jun 2026
Government question time
Opening statement and answers to MPs on bureaucracy, plant-protection approvals, the wolf and the Heimat strategy.
09Jul 2026
Bundestag speech
Presented mandatory video surveillance for large slaughterhouses covering more than 90 % of animals slaughtered.
„Wer Tiere nutzt, muss sie anständig behandeln: von der Geburt über den Stall bis hin zur Schlachtung.“
“Anyone who uses animals must treat them decently: from birth through the barn to slaughter.”
16Jul 2026
Presentation
Presented the federal Heimat agenda with dialogues, a Heimat report and a federal prize.
02Sep 2026
Harvest report
Presented preliminary figures: grain about 37.4 million tonnes, 7.3 % below 2025, and announced around €1 billion in liquidity aid.
„Wir haben es mit einer Krise von nationaler Tragweite zu tun.“
“We are dealing with a crisis of national significance.”
On 10 September 2026 the minister was ill. The first reading of the 2027 agriculture budget (€6.97 billion) was opened by Parliamentary State Secretary Silvia Breher on his behalf.
Statements are only included here when their wording, date and context could be checked against a primary source or a reputable news report. Paraphrased positions are collected on Political Positions.
Source: Bundestag, week 37/2026.