Cem Özdemir appointed new Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture
Cem Özdemir, who is originally from the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg, was appointed new Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin on 8 December 2021.
On the occasion of his assumption of office, Federal Minister Özdemir stated: "Agriculture is a prominent part of our country. In many areas, it ensures that villages remain vibrant and rural areas attractive. I therefore assume the office of Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture with the greatest deference and respect. I see myself as the supreme advocate for farmers – the people who ensure that there is food on our tables. We must support our farmers during the transformation process towards greater animal welfare as well as improved environmental protection and climate stewardship. At the same time, I am this nation’s supreme animal rights advocate. I believe that agriculture and the environment are not an either-or. I am in complete agreement on this point with my colleague Steffi Lemke, the Federal Minister for the Environment. Together, we will be tackling the greatest challenges of our time: the climate crisis and the conservation of biodiversity. However, we will only be able to achieve these aims in collaboration with the agricultural sector. Farmers need clear economic and sustainability prospects.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my predecessor Julia Klöckner and her team; I am looking forward to this task and to working with my highly motivated staff in Bonn and in Berlin, who are absolute specialists in their respective fields."
Özdemir is originally from Bad Urach in Baden-Württemberg. He served as Chair of BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN (the German Green Party) from 2008 until 2018. Between 1994 and 2002 and again since 2013, he has been a member of the German Bundestag. Until 2021, he was also Chair of the Bundestag Committee on Transport and Digital Infrastructure. From 2004 to 2009, he was a member of the European Parliament. In the federal elections of 2021, he became the first Green Party politician in the constituency of Stuttgart to be elected directly.
Cem Özdemir is a qualified “Diplom-Sozialpädagoge” (Master of Arts in Social Pedagogy) He is married and has two children.
