Cereals

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Wheat makes for perfect bread

In grain cultivation, a distinction is drawn between bread cereals and fodder cereals. Bread cereals are used for human nutrition and are processed into bread and other foods. Fodder cereals are used to feed livestock. Chickens and pigs particularly feed on a lot of fodder cereal because, unlike bovines and the like, they cannot digest grass.

Image: Lydia Frey

The most important bread cereal is wheat, one of the oldest crops grown by humans. The proteins contained in wheat make it ideal for processing and baking.

Image: Anne Osenberg

The grain variety spelt was the bread cereal of choice for centuries. It is closely related to wheat. More and more farmers in Switzerland are producing ancient spelt, i.e. original spelt varieties that have not been crossed with wheat. Bakers use spelt to make specialty breads and other products. Spelt is also suitable for pasta.

Image: Klauser Werner

Dough made from rye is less elastic than wheat dough, but it too can be processed into bread, mainly as sourdough. One well-known bread specialty made from rye is Valais rye bread, the only Swiss bread that bears the AOP protected designation of origin label.

On a smaller scale, farmers also cultivate grain varieties such as emmer, einkorn, oats and barley, as well as pseudocereals like amaranth and quinoa.

Quinoa

Quinoa has had a place in Swiss cuisine for several years now. This «Andean grain» is rich in protein and numerous essential amino acids. Its popularity has, however, pushed up the price of this staple food in the countries where it is grown.

Quinoa

Alternatives for sufferers of gluten intolerance

Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, among other things. It is responsible for ensuring that dough holds together well and is elastic. Thanks to its properties, the food industry also uses gluten in other products, including processed meat products and ready-made sauces. Those who suffer from gluten intolerance – so-called coeliac disease – can turn to cereal alternatives. Pseudo-cereals such as amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat as well as the sweet grass millet are good-tasting alternatives. There is now a wide range of gluten-free flour available to buy that can also be used by coeliacs to bake and cook.

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Production

High-quality products are the most valuable asset of Swiss farming families. They therefore attach great importance to efficient and sustainable production – from the sowing stage right through to the harvesting of the final crop. Switzerland is home to some of the most stringent animal welfare laws worldwide in the area of animal production. We show you how farmers produce your food.

Production

Fodder crops

Thanks to the country’s lush meadows and pastures, Swiss cows, sheep and goats can largely be fed with roughage. The silage process means that the fodder has a long shelf life.

Fodder crops