Farmers draw attention to their problems before election day

A few days before the general election, farmers in Saxony are once again putting pressure for change. The new federal government must strengthen the position of dairy farmers in the market and enable farmers to use more practical fertilization methods, said Olaf Kranen from the association "Land Schafft Verbindung" (LSV). In order to draw attention to their demands, the farmers are planning to hold a so-called "Mahnfeuer" in Schmölln near the state border of Saxony and Thuringia on Friday together with representatives of small and medium-sized businesses.

Agriculture hardly a topic in the parliamentary election campaign

Agriculture was hardly a topic in the parliamentary election campaign, said LSV spokesperson Robert Erdmann. Yet there are still urgent problems to solve.

The new federal government must implement the national application of Article 148 of the Common Market Organization in Europe as quickly as possible. This article regulates the relationship between dairy farmers and dairies. Until now, farmers have not known how much money they will receive when they deliver their raw milk. In future, written contracts with a price framework are to be drawn up. The process has been initiated, but has not yet been completed.

The farmers are also advocating a change to the fertilizer ordinance. So-called frost fertilization must be permitted, said Kranen. Fertilizers containing phosphate and nitrogen may currently only be applied to frost-free soil. This is to prevent them from being washed away. For farmers, however, this means one big "mud fight", said Kranen.

Equal opportunities for imports

Another issue for farmers is equal opportunities for imports. Germany has set high standards for agriculture. It must therefore be ensured that all imported goods are produced according to the same social, environmental and animal welfare criteria.

A year ago, there were major protests by farmers across Germany after the German government wanted to cut subsidies for agricultural diesel and introduce vehicle taxes for agricultural machinery. The decisions were partially reversed.