Agriculture - Farmers up in arms against federal budget plans
The farmers' association in Brandenburg has sharply criticized the coalition government for its budget compromise. For Brandenburg alone, 50 million euros are to be saved in agriculture, association president Henrik Wendorff told the German Press Agency on Friday. "We already had to accept a lot of cuts before the budget compromise, which is why we are now saying: The barrel is overflowing. We are abolishing ourselves." He sees the production of German food at risk with the federal government's savings plans. The background to his criticism is the end of tax concessions. The coalition leaders had also agreed on savings in these areas for the 2024 budget.
Until now, agricultural businesses have been able to receive a partial refund of the energy tax on diesel. This is now to be abolished. Specifically, this concerns regulations on agricultural diesel and vehicle tax exemptions for agriculture and forestry. "But we have to use diesel fuel if we still want to produce German food in the future," warned Wendorff. Higher production costs would then be paid for by "the little man" in the supermarket. He is also annoyed that the motor vehicle tax exemption is to be abolished, even though farmers' machinery is only rarely used on public roads.
Brandenburg's Agriculture Minister Axel Vogel (Greens) is also "very critical" of the planned cuts, according to his ministry. "The simultaneous abolition without replacement of the agricultural diesel subsidy and the motor vehicle tax exemption for agricultural and forestry vehicles is an unexpected blow for Brandenburg's agricultural businesses, which are already under strong competitive pressure," he said according to a ministry statement on Friday. This particularly affects farms that have reduced the use of chemical-synthetic pesticides and are therefore increasingly reliant on mechanical soil cultivation with agricultural vehicles.
Vogel conceded that climate-damaging subsidies would have to be reduced. However, this would require lead time and "time for discussions with the agricultural trade associations". In addition to the tax exemption for biodiesel, further incentives and measures to save energy and switch to climate-friendly energy sources in agriculture must be introduced, the Minister demanded.
In protest against the budget compromise of the traffic light coalition, the German Farmers' Association is calling for a rally in Berlin this Monday. It is to take place at 11.00 a.m. at the Brandenburg Gate. A large number of tractors are also expected to attend the protest in Berlin, including some from Brandenburg. "We will use the main roads to drive to Berlin, there is nothing else for us to do but protest," said Wendorff.
Following the Federal Constitutional Court's budget ruling, the coalition government agreed on Wednesday 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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- The farmers' association from Berlin has echoed the criticism of their Brandenburg counterparts towards the federal budget compromise, expressing concern about potential impacts on German food production.
- As part of the budget compromise, Axel Vogel, the Green Party's Agriculture Minister in Brandenburg, has expressed his concern over the simultaneous abolition of agricultural diesel subsidies and motor vehicle tax exemptions, which he believes will severely impact Brandenburg's agricultural businesses.
- In response to the budget compromise, the Future of German Agriculture, an arm of the German Farmers' Association, has announced plans for a rally in Berlin, called "Stand up for the Future of German Food," with a large number of tractors participating.
- The rally organizer, Bernd Schlenther, from the Teltow region, stated that the Traffic light coalition's budget compromise puts the future of farmers in jeopardy and that they must make their voices heard by demonstrating in Potsdam and Berlin.
- The German Farmers' Association also raised concerns about the potential impact of the budget compromise on food prices, warning that consumers in locations like Teltow and other areas might see an increase in food costs as a result of higher production expenses.
- In response to the farmers' association's protests, the Federal Government has called on farmers to find alternative, sustainable solutions to ensure food security and reduce reliance on climate-damaging subsidies, such as transitioning to climate-friendly energy sources and implementing energy-saving measures in agriculture.
Source: www.stern.de
