The largest farm association in Germany will hold a ‘week of action’ throughout next week to protest against planned budget measures by the country’s government.
Late last year, the government announced plans to cut farmer tax reliefs for both agricultural diesel and the annual vehicle tax.
These plans were rejected by the Deutscher Bauernverband (DBV), the leading farm organisation in Germany, which protested in the capital Berlin in mid-December.
The DBV now plans to renew its protest next week.
The DBV said that, along with farmer organisations in Germany’s various states, and another famer group called LsV (Land Creates Connection, in English), it is calling for a week of action from January 8 (next Monday).
“Together we want to continue to protest against the planned abolition of agricultural diesel and the vehicle tax exemption. We start on January 8 with appropriate demonstrations and actions across the country. The support among the population is great, extremely important and needs to be strengthened further,” the DBV said.
It is planned for these nationwide demonstrations to converge on Berlin on January 15.
On X (formally known as Twitter), the group called for the cut to both the agricultural diesel and vehicle tax reliefs to be taken off the table.
The organisation said: “This is clearly also about the future viability of our industry and the question of whether domestic food production is still desired.”
However, the group said it wanted to avoid “senseless blockades and radical actions” during the demonstrations.
In his New Year’s message to DBV members, the association’s president Joachim Rukwied said (translated from German): “The proposal to remove the agricultural diesel refund and the tax exemptions for agricultural and forestry vehicles is completely unacceptable.
“Especially in times that are already extremely challenging, this would be an unreasonable burden for us farming families.
“We, as [the DBV] together with the state farmers’ associations and allies from the agricultural industry and friendly sectors, pointed this out very clearly at a large demonstration in mid-December,” Rukwied added.
“The great response – both from our own professional colleagues and from society as a whole – shows that urgent political action is now required and that these plans must be taken off the table,” the DBV president said.
He added: “Especially in uncertain times, our industry is an essential cornerstone of prosperity and stability and must not be shaken to its core. With a week of action starting January 8 and another rally in Berlin, we are continuing our resistance in the new year.”