Response to interpellation 2022/23:251 on the design of the farm sale

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Tobias Andersson has asked me when the government intends to move forward with a proposal on farm sales and whether such a proposal will comply with the latest investigation's proposals.

The investigation's report A possibility for small-scale farm sales of alcoholic beverages (SOU 2021:95) has been submitted for consultation, and a large number of consulting bodies have responded to the referral. The customary work of preparing the consulting bodies' views is ongoing. In this work, among other things, the complexity of the issue and potential consequences need to be considered. The Government views the possibility of enabling small-scale farm sales of alcoholic beverages positively, provided that the retail monopoly is protected.

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Tobias Andersson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Jakob Forssmed, for the answer!

I believe there are few individual issues that have been allowed to be discussed in Swedish politics for as long as farm sales. It is perhaps the question of day-time restrictions and a few other altogether uncontroversial issues with broad support for change that have been allowed to drag on for just as long.

For me as an individual, Mr. Speaker, I see farm sales as a pure issue of freedom, and as a politician in the Committee on Enterprise, I see it as a business issue. The question lies with the Ministry of Social Affairs on Jakob Forssmed's desk for implementation. Since I am of the opinion that farm sales would benefit the business sector, not least small and medium-sized enterprises, regional growth, and the conditions for the tourism industry, I am persistent on the issue.

On February 20 this year, I therefore submitted a written question to Social Minister Jakob Forssmed on the topic of farm sales. In it, I explained, among other things, that the previous government chose to ignore the investigation *A possibility for small-scale farm sales of alcoholic beverages*, which was published on December 8, 2021. I also explained that while the investigation does propose that farm sales should be permitted, it simultaneously sets several more or less unreasonable requirements.

Mr. Speaker! I will return in more detail to the limitations proposed in the investigation in my next speech. Now, I would instead like to emphasize the positive aspect that there is a government that finally wants to enable farm sales, even if the exact design will be discussed both later in this interpellation debate and later during the implementation.

The Prime Minister himself has stated in an interview with TV4 that the farm sale shall be carried out during this mandate period, and Jakob Forssmed's party leader, Minister for Energy and Business Ebba Busch, has stated the same. The question lies with Jakob Forssmed, our Social Minister. It is he who can ensure that both the head of government and the party leader are satisfied.

There are, however, critics who suspect that there are differing views within the government on the issue. Some go as far as to claim that one reason why the enabling of farm sales has not yet occurred and seems to be dragging on is the risk that the responsible minister reasons differently on the issue than the Prime Minister and the Minister for Energy and Enterprise.

Mr. Speaker! In order to put a stop to that type of criticism and speculation, I now give Jakob Forssmed the opportunity to state that the government, as a united team with Jakob Forssmed at the forefront, will work for farm sales during this mandate period.

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Christofer Bergenblock (C)

Mr. Speaker! As a Member of Parliament, one has the opportunity to call a responsible minister to the chamber to discuss pressing issues, and that is what the Sweden Democrats have done in this case. But I really do not understand why Tobias Andersson is standing in the chamber's rostrum complaining about the issue of farm sales.

It is a question that the Center Party has championed for a long time. We see that it will create jobs, that it leads to rural development, that it increases tourism, and that it contributes to increased food production all over Sweden.

During the previous parliamentary term, we saw to it that an investigation into farm sales was carried out. It was part of the January Agreement and a requirement we had to be part of the cooperation. The investigation was carried out and clearly showed that farm sales can be implemented without the retail monopoly being undermined and without public health being affected. It was positive for us to see the conclusions in the investigation.

Yesterday, we debated the issue of farm sales all afternoon here in the chamber. I did so together with the Tidö parties, and many beautiful words were heard from all these parties regarding farm sales. They promised it for the same reasons that I myself highlight and pointed out how important it is to introduce farm sales.

But beautiful words lead nowhere. What leads somewhere is action, and that was what was missing. It leads us back to the question of the Tidö Agreement. If this question is now so pressing and central for the Sverigedemokraterna, for the Moderaterna, for the Liberalerna and, with a bit more hesitation, for the Kristdemokraterna, one wonders why it has not been included as a point in the Tidö Agreement. There are very many questions taken up there, but for some reason, just the sale of yards was overlooked.

Obviously, farm sales was not an issue that was so important and urgent for the Tidö parties that it needed to be included in the agreement. Obviously, the Sweden Democrats, who have demanded this interpellation debate, were so fixated on other issues in the Tidö agreement that they left the farm sales aside and did not care about it.

After the Tidö Agreement was signed, the new government took office, and then the Sweden Democrats handed over responsibility for the issue to the Christian Democrats, who now hold the ministerial post. One must then ask: How did the Sweden Democrats intend it when they allowed a government formation to look the way it did, when they knew that the only party that has a certain ambivalence towards farm sales is precisely the Christian Democrats, who now hold the full responsibility?

This leads me back to the question: Why are Tobias Andersson and the Sverigedemokraterna standing in the chamber and complaining instead of using the opportunities they have to exert pressure on the government that they themselves have appointed, within the coordination office or in the discussions taking place internally between the Tidö parties? This is the question I ask myself, Mr. Speaker.

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Member Tobias Andersson for the opportunity to come here to the Riksdag to answer these types of questions and clear up any potential ambiguities.

As has already been stated in the response that has been submitted not only today but also previously, the government views positively the possibility of enabling small-scale farm sales of alcoholic beverages, provided that the retail monopoly is secured. This the Riksdag has stated in an announcement to the government, and both Centerpartiet and Sverigedemokraterna have declared the view that the government should work towards legislation that enables farm sales to a limited extent, provided that Systembolaget's retail monopoly can be maintained. It is based on these conditions that the government is working.

Legislation takes time. This is a complex issue, I want to emphasize. This is perhaps shown by the fact that it is the third investigation that has worked on the issue. I have myself been involved in appointing the two previous investigations, so I am somewhat aware of the complexity of the issue.

It is generally seen as, and a reasonable ambition according to me, that legislation should aim to provide long-term and predictable conditions, not least for those who are affected by it. The committee's report has been subjected to consultation. A large number of referral bodies have responded to the referral, and the customary work of preparing the referral bodies' views is ongoing. It can be noted that the referral bodies make very different assessments among themselves of the committee's proposals.

It is easy to see the advantages of farm sales, which have been highlighted here in the debate, for Swedish producers and for developing the tourism industry and the countryside. But I would like to emphasize that it is a complex issue concerning central parts of Swedish alcohol policy and Systembolaget, which is expressed in the Riksdag's announcement. It also concerns EU law, and there it is important that we ensure that Swedish alcohol policy is decided in the Swedish Riksdag and not in the EU Court of Justice, for I believe that is a scenario that everyone agrees we should avoid.

I am well aware that there is a desire for a regulatory framework for farm sales to be put in place, not least among the actors within the industry.

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Tobias Andersson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister for Social Affairs, for the answer!

I will begin by responding to Christofer Bergenblock's speech. There are, of course, questions that are of greater importance than the sale of farms. I believe everyone can agree on this. This applies in particular to the enormous social problems that the Center Party, together with its government partners, has been involved in creating in Sweden over the last decades.

I will be honest in saying that when the Tidö parties and the coalition parties wanted to create change, farm sales were not the most important issue, but it was the insecurity and segregation that the Center Party has advocated for, praised, enabled, and implemented for decades. It was not the farm sales that were at the top of the agenda, but rather the division and crime that the Center Party has allowed to grow, fester, and take root in large parts of Sweden. That is how honest I can be, Mr. Speaker.

If I were a member of the Centre Party, I would be careful about how much I stick out on such an issue, because the Centre Party has chosen its cooperation partner in the form of the Social Democrats. I do not believe one gets far that way when it comes to the implementation of farm sales in Sweden. That is why we received an investigation with limited directives, which resulted in a limited proposal.

With this said, I want to look back on the fantastic holiday memories I have, which have involved farm sales during visits to vineyards in France, Italy, South Africa, USA and so on. From there, I could not only take away memories but also bottles of wine, which now sit at home in Skövde and carry stories and experiences that I believe have created a great added value around the tourism industry that I have been a part of.

Even though a vineyard in Tuscany or Champagne is unbeatable, I also have fond memories from breweries, distilleries, and vineyards here in Sweden. That is why I want to safeguard their conditions, which today are limited by the fact that we do not have farm sales.

This question has, as said, been investigated previously. Now there is an investigation proposal, and I would like to speak about the limitations that exist in the proposal.

Before proceeding to the implementation, I and the Sverigedemokraterna would have liked to see a discussion regarding how we might potentially expand what the investigation wants to limit.

For example, the investigation proposes that you should only be allowed to purchase three liters of beer. Furthermore, you may only purchase these three liters of beer if you have participated in a lecture or a study visit in connection with your visit to this brewery.

Everyone who thinks it is nice to grill on a warm summer day knows that three liters of beer is not even enough for you and a friend during that afternoon.

I truly believe that we can both maintain Systembolaget's retail monopoly and secure Swedish public health even if one is allowed to buy five liters of beer from the brewery.

Mr. Speaker! We can play with the idea that you have traveled there and paid for this study visit and this lecture. It must, in fact, be a purchase of this, and it must not be that you only receive information when you buy the beer. When you have done this, you sit down and eat a dinner. Can you then take your three liters of beer home with you? No, probably not. For then the time limit has likely put a stop to this instead.

All this naturally limits the possibilities for farm sales to lead to better conditions for the Swedish tourism industry.

I have been a bit critical now. But this is an obvious problem. Therefore, I would like to hear if the Minister for Social Affairs is nevertheless considering loosening these restrictions when working further on the issue, even though I understand that he cannot go into detail on this.

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Christofer Bergenblock (C)

Mr. Speaker! We suddenly got a different debate than the one about farm sales when I triggered Tobias Andersson and the Sverigedemokraterna. He preferred to highlight everything else that is in the Tidö Agreement regarding migration policy, criminal justice policy, and petrol prices. Exactly, we shall see how it goes with the petrol prices.

When one sits down in a negotiation - I understand that the Sweden Democrats are inexperienced in this area - it is a matter of keeping many balls in the air at the same time and having many issues ongoing at the same time, both the big and the small issues. It is a matter of managing both the big picture and the small, individual issues that are important.

But obviously it was so for the Sweden Democrats that the question of farm sales was not so important that they could keep it in mind when they sat in the negotiations. Or it was simply the case that it was not so important that they didn't even bother to bring it up. It did not, in fact, appear in the Tidö Agreement. That means there is no pressure to implement the content of that investigation, which the Centre Party has seen to have been carried out by the Social Democratic government.

It is nothing to fuss about that the Social Democrats are not positive towards the sale of farms. But they still carried out an investigation, and that is significantly more than what this government has managed to achieve. So far, they have not managed to produce anything regarding the sale of farms. The question is being prepared in the Government Offices is the standard answer. But we have not heard about any timeline. We have not been told what the bill will look like. We have not even been told if a bill will even come, only that the question is complex.

Tobias Andersson should take the opportunity to push forward on this issue in the internal channels that exist between the Tidö parties.

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I have already stated how the government views the issue. We view it positively to enable small-scale farm sales of alcoholic beverages on the condition that Systembolaget's retail monopoly is secured and protected. And the Riksdag notes that the government should work towards legislation that enables farm sales to a limited extent, on the condition that Systembolaget's retail monopoly can be maintained.

I have also noted that there is a widespread desire for this, not least among producers.

Tobias Andersson describes his memories of what it can be like to, so to speak, enhance one's experience by also being able to purchase alcohol in this way. Others have different experiences with alcohol and are more negative. It is both of these things that are expressed in the government's stance and in the Riksdag's desire. And we view this opportunity positively, but it also presupposes that we can safeguard Systembolaget, which is a cornerstone and an important part of Swedish alcohol policy, in order to also limit the harmful effects of alcohol.

Member of the Committee Tobias Andersson also made a reasoning regarding the investigation's proposals and the limitations that exist in the investigation's proposals. I perceived that Tobias Andersson thinks they are negative and that they should be changed in a more permissive direction.

Then I can simply state that these limitations are components of the investigation's proposal as a whole. Furthermore, the investigation has several different proposals that one takes a position on. Should one do it in a different way, supplementary preparatory documents would also be needed. It is nevertheless a component to highlight in this context.

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Tobias Andersson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for this answer from the Minister for Social Affairs. It is true that I think parts of the limitations proposed in the investigation are of such a nature that they would have limited the conditions that would have existed for not least the tourism industry and the producers if one had allowed farm sales in a more liberal form than what is proposed. So it is absolutely so.

There are also other limitations mentioned in the investigation. Among others, it concerns production volumes for those who would be given the opportunity to engage in farm sales, which is growth-inhibiting. If a brewery has an annual production of 450,000 liters today – almost the 500,000 liters proposed to be the ceiling for being allowed to offer farm sales in connection with the brewery – and wants to scale up the business and create a tourism industry in the small village where they operate, it is known that if one happens to sell 50,000 liters more – it should be the ambition for every enterprising person to actually expand their business – one would suddenly have to cancel the farm sales that one had been allowed to initiate. One might invest in the business to enable this. And in connection with this, one grows, and then the opportunity is taken away from them.

There are good examples of producers of craft beer that are at that level, both Poppels Bryggeri outside of Gothenburg and Nils Oscars bryggeri which has popular beer, and who would risk being restricted and not be allowed to conduct farm sales.

There is also a proposal in the investigation regarding a time limit and that this should be some form of probationary period of six years for farm sales. It is very unusual to have this form of sunset clauses, as we can call them, in Swedish legal text. I am not aware of many other examples where it has been said that this may be done but only for a period of a couple of years.

I want to know what Jakob Forssmed's position is on these parts of the investigation.

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! The answer is that it is difficult for me to anticipate the preparation that is currently underway in the matter, where the investigation's proposal is naturally an important part of the preparatory material.

I note the points that Tobias Andersson has regarding this proposal. There is no corresponding preparatory basis regarding another regulatory framework; rather, it is this that the investigation has presented. The government will, of course, then prepare this further and take a position on the referral responses that have been submitted regarding various parts and different aspects of the investigation. And various assessments are made.

The Government views the possibility of introducing farm sales of alcoholic beverages positively, provided that Systembolaget's monopoly can be protected. These are important starting points for the Government in the further process, and it is also the mandate that has been given from the Riksdag via a referral.

I thank you for the opportunity to come to the Riksdag and discuss the issue with highly esteemed members.

The interpellations debate was hereby concluded.

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