FAQs
The German Farmers’ Day has begun in Cottbus. The main topics are likely to be the farmers’ protests against agricultural policy and the government’s latest package of measures. An overview of demands, concessions and reactions.
Why are farmers protesting at all?
Since the end of last year, farmers have repeatedly organized protests and brought traffic to a standstill with blockades. Originally, the protests were about a planned cut in subsidies for agricultural diesel. But the protests soon turned to agricultural policy in general, for example against requirements for farmers in terms of environmental and animal protection.
How did politicians react?
Some of the cuts have been withdrawn – for example, the plan in Germany to abolish the vehicle tax exemption for agricultural vehicles.
After some fierce protests in several countries, the EU Commission withdrew its proposal for the pesticide law, according to which farmers were to halve the use of pesticides by 2030. Brussels also stopped the plan to set aside four percent of agricultural land for the benefit of biodiversity.
The federal government also promised farmers a plan for relief elsewhere in return for the abolition of agricultural diesel subsidies.
What did the traffic light coalition decide?
On Tuesday, the coalition presented its results: the burden on companies is to be relieved and the competitiveness of German agriculture is to be strengthened.
On the one hand, there is to be a tax profit smoothing for income from agriculture and forestry. Instead of the current annual profit, an average profit over three years is used. This will enable farmers to better offset income from good and bad years. According to information from the Reuters news agency, this should bring a relief of 50 million euros annually. The measure is to apply retroactively from 2023.
The second point is a law that aims to strengthen the position of farmers in the chain from the field to the supermarket. Thirdly, grazing livestock on meadows is to be additionally promoted within the framework of EU agricultural funding, without there being any cuts in the basic premium, which comes as a direct payment from Brussels.
How do the farmers react?
The steps are apparently not enough for them. The head of the farmers’ association, Joachim Rukwied, said in a joint Morning magazine from ARD and ZDFthe traffic light coalition had “not delivered”. The agricultural package that had been agreed was “just a small package”. He called for improvements and did not rule out further protests.
“We need to reorganize agriculture, focus on knowledge-based innovations, and give our younger generation prospects,” said Rukwied. The frustration among the younger generation is enormous. He called on the government to involve farmers more.
Eberhard Hartelt, President of the Farmers’ and Winegrowers’ Association of Rhineland-Palatinate South, was also rather disappointed with the traffic light coalition’s plans. “It’s not a big deal,” he said. in an interview with the ssr.
The situation of agriculture is also the central theme of the two-day German Farmers’ Day, which began today in Cottbus.