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Farmers' association criticizes traffic light for budget compromise

The farmers' association in Saxony-Anhalt has sharply criticized the traffic light coalition for its budget compromise. "The federal government obviously has no interest in an economically functioning agricultural sector," said Olaf Feuerborn, President of the Saxony-Anhalt Farmers'...

A tractor driving on a road. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de
A tractor driving on a road. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Agriculture - Farmers' association criticizes traffic light for budget compromise

The farmers' association in Saxony-Anhalt has sharply criticized the traffic light coalition for its budget compromise. "The federal government obviously has no interest in an economically functioning agricultural sector," said Olaf Feuerborn, President of the Saxony-Anhalt Farmers' Association, according to a statement on Friday. There is no other explanation for the fact that farmers are to be burdened with hundreds of millions of euros as part of the planned 2024 federal budget.

In addition to the agricultural diesel subsidy, the traffic light government also wants to abolish the motor vehicle tax exemption for agricultural and forestry vehicles. "Taken together, these are items amounting to around 900 million euros, which farms will then miss out on." In addition, the CO2 tax for fossil fuels is to be increased, which would make production even more expensive.

Feuerborn emphasized that the agricultural diesel subsidy and the motor vehicle tax exemption are compensation for disadvantages and, in his opinion, do not fall under the label of "climate-damaging subsidies". "German agriculture has high standards and very high production costs," said the head of the farmers' association. The removal of the "disadvantage compensation" would mean a weakening of competitiveness.

Following the Federal Constitutional Court's budget ruling, the coalition government reached an agreement on Wednesday on how it intends to close the billion-euro gap in the 2024 federal budget. Savings and cuts are planned, which will also affect consumers in terms of electricity, gas and petrol prices. Savings are to be made primarily by abolishing climate-damaging subsidies, making cuts to the budgets of individual departments and reducing federal subsidies.

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Source: www.stern.de

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