Farmers' protests in the Weserbergland: calm before the storm?

Farmers' protests in the Weserbergland: calm before the storm?

Weserbergland. The mood in agriculture has been somewhat resolved since the massive protests, but the problems are far from solved. Farmers from the region who protested against the planned financial cuts last year are still worried. Friedrich Hake, the new district farmer, says: "If the government would again be on the streets with new regulations that tighten our financial situation."

In December, the Federal Government had decided to introduce a tax on agrardiesel, which met with great resentment among farmers. After many protests, including demonstrations in Berlin, the decision was partially revised, but farmers continue to feel under pressure. A third of the original measures remain, including a gradual deletion of the tax exemption at the Agrardiesel by 2027.

The mood has been mixed

The former district farmer Karl-Friedrich Meyer commented on the situation and compared the pricing to that in France, where farmers use heating oil to refuel their tractors, which is significantly cheaper. "The problems are not only financial in nature, it is also about competition with farmers from other European countries. We have to prevent us from being left behind," continued Meyer.

It is crucial for farmers that many products that are not produced locally are imported from abroad. Meyer points out the challenges: "The pig chots come from countries in which no such strict animal welfare regulations apply as with us. This worries us and we ask ourselves why our products in the EU do not experience the same appreciation."

hake, a organic farmer, sees bright spots in the current situation, but emphasizes that there is no planning security. In particular, he criticizes politics that farmers do not perceive as a full partner. "This leads to a bad investment climate," explains Hake. He also added that a lower grain harvest would have affected the entire level of yield.

Another problem that the farmers are concerned with is the bureaucracy. Hake remembers the 2015 refugee crisis when he planned to hire refugee people as a seasonal worker, but decreased because of the bureaucratic hurdles. "The effort was so great that we could not implement it while the plants had to continue to grow," said the farmer.

A frustrating feeling for many farmers is concerned that they are pushed into a “right corner” for political statements. Meyer summed it up: "We are not against everything, we only want perspectives and fair conditions." Despite the challenges, farmers are also aware of the reality of climate change and emphasize that everyone is responsible for finding solutions.

The latest developments in Brussels, such as the adjustments to the regulations for path edges shortly before the EU election, increase confusion among farmers. Meyer expresses his concerns that the citizens do not understand how much work is behind agriculture and how much the political decisions affect the companies.