Cows grazing on lush pastures with ornate metal bells gently tinkling around their necks may be one of the ultimate symbols of Switzerland, but not everyone is enchanted by such traditional scenes. In the village of Aarwangen, a complaint was filed earlier this year over the noise levels from a herd of around 15 cows grazing overnight on a field next to a residential area.The reaction was swift and fierce, with overwhelming demands for a local vote to protect the traditional use of bells.
Petitioners needed to gather backing from just 10% of those eligible to vote in the village of 4,800 people – about 380 signatures – to push the issue to a vote under Switzerland’s direct democracy system. Instead, they showed up with 1,099 signatures for the “Bell Initiative”, aimed at maintaining the right of farmers to use cowbells at all hours. The vote is expected to in June.