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Tens of thousands of German farmers protest left-wing government policies, block highways

Published

4 months ago

5 minute read

Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng

From LifeSiteNews

By Andreas Wailzer

‘We’re sick of the lies. We’re sick of trying to get rid of our jobs,’ one farmer said.

Tens of thousands of protestors have taken to the streets all over Germany, temporarily blocking streets and highways during the large-scale farmers’ protests in response to the government’s plan to cut subsidies. 

On January 8, the first day of a week-long protest that will culminate in a large demonstration in Berlin on January 15, around 19,000 tractors took part in protests in Bavaria, and 25,000 vehicles showed up in Baden-Württemberg, according to German newspaper Bild. 

Similar protests against the planned government measures with heavy vehicles that temporarily blocked many roads and highways were held all over Germany, including Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Münster, and Mainz. 

Thousands of vehicles formed a blockade of the A2 highway, one of the busiest roads in Europe, which connects the Ruhr area in the west of Germany to Berlin in the east. 

 

“We’re sick of the lies. We’re sick of trying to get rid of our jobs. It’s not only farmers. It’s the lorry drivers. It’s the normal workers. Everybody is sick of politicians who have no idea what they are talking about, who have no education to tell us how our lifestyle should look,” one of the farmers on the A2 highway told Dutch journalist and commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek. 

In a speech in response to the protests, leftist German Economy Minister Robert Habeck (Green Party) tried to portray the farmers as anti-democratic “extremists” and claimed that “this republic is the best state Germany has ever had.” 

Habeck notably appeared to threaten the organizers of the protests as “enemies of the constitution.”

“Our constitution sets limits on enemies of the constitution,” Habeck said. “Anyone who wants to undermine democracy must be held accountable for it using the means of the rule of law.”

He also took aim at “social media campaigns” and “political programs that talk about subversion or even repopulation and always blame others.” 

“We must not tolerate right-wing extremists who use the shelter of freedom to abolish it. In the same way, we as a society must not give space to enemies of the constitution,” he insisted.

The German farmers’ protests are reminiscent of protests in the Netherlands and the trucker protests in Canada and have garnered ample support online, including from tech mogul Elon Musk, who replied to the question of journalist Peter Sweden “Do you support the farmers?” by stating, “I do.” 

Leftist German gov’t to cut agricultural subsidies 

The farmers’ protest came as a response to plans by Germany’s left-wing government to cut agricultural tax subsidies. However, the protestors also expressed their general discontent with the reigning government, which has had very low approval ratings among the population overall. 

In December 2023, an agreement reached by the government provided for the abolition of benefits for agricultural diesel and the tax exemptions of farming vehicles. The Federal Environment Agency listed both of these subsidies as “damaging to the environment.”

On January 4, a few days before the start of the announced farmers’ protest, the federal government partially withdrew the announced cuts. According to a press release, the government intends to waive the abolition of the preferential tax treatment for forestry and agriculture. It plans to phase out the tax breaks for agricultural diesel fuel over multiple years instead of abolishing them immediately. 

Nevertheless, the farmers’ association stuck with its week-long protest plans, as the government’s concessions “are insufficient,” the association said in a press release. 

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Agriculture

Bill C-282, now in the Senate, risks holding back other economic sectors and further burdening consumers

Published on April 17, 2024

By

From the Frontier Centre for Public Policy

By Sylvain Charlebois

Bill C-282 currently sits in the Canadian Senate and stands on the precipice of becoming law in a matter of weeks. Essentially, this bill seeks to bestow immunity upon supply management from any potential future trade negotiations without offering increased market access to potential trade partners.

In simpler terms, it risks holding all other economic sectors hostage solely to safeguard the interests of a small, privileged group of farmers. This is far from an optimal scenario, and the implications of this bill spell bad news for Canadians.

Supply management, which governs poultry, egg, and dairy production in Canada, has traditionally enabled us to fulfill our domestic needs. Under this system, farmers are allocated government-sanctioned quotas to produce food for the nation. At the same time, high tariffs are imposed on imports of items such as chicken, butter, yogurt, cheese, milk, and eggs. This model has been in place for over five decades, ostensibly to shield family farms from economic volatility.

However, despite the implementation of supply management, Canada has witnessed a comparable decline in the number of farms as the United States, where a national supply management scheme does not exist. Supply management has failed to preserve much of anything beyond enriching select agricultural sectors.

For instance, dairy farmers now possess quotas valued at over $25 billion while concurrently burdening dairy processors with the highest-priced industrial milk in the Western world. Recent data indicates a significant surge in prices at the grocery store, with yogurt prices alone soaring by over 30 percent since December 2023. This escalation is increasingly straining the budgets of many consumers.

It’s evident to those knowledgeable about the situation that the emergence of Bill C-282 should come as no surprise. Proponents of supply management exert considerable influence over politicians across party lines, compelling them to support this bill to safeguard the interests of less than one percent of our economy, much to the ignorance of most Canadians. In the last federal budget, the dairy industry alone received over $300 million in research funds, funds that arguably exceed their actual needs.

While Canada’s agricultural sector accounts for approximately seven percent of our GDP, supply-managed industries represent only a small fraction of that figure. Supply-managed farms represent about five percent of all farms in Canada. Forging trade agreements with key partners such as India, China, and the United Kingdom is imperative not only for sectors like automotive, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology but for the vast majority of farms in livestock and grains to thrive and contribute to global welfare and prosperity. It is essential to recognize that Canada has much more to offer than merely self-sufficiency in food production.

Over time, the marketing boards overseeing quotas for farmers have amassed significant power and have proven themselves politically aggressive. They vehemently oppose any challenges to the existing system, targeting politicians, academics, and groups advocating for reform or abolition. Despite occasional resistance from MPs and Senators, no major political party has dared to question the disproportionate protection afforded to one sector over others. Strengthening our supply-managed sectors necessitates embracing competition, which can only serve to enhance their resilience and competitiveness.

A recent example of the consequences of protectionism is the United Kingdom’s decision to walk away from trade negotiations with Canada due to disagreements over access to our dairy market. Not only do many Canadians appreciate the quality of British cheese, but increased competition in the dairy section would also help drive prices down, a welcome relief given current economic challenges.

In the past decade, Canada has ratified trade agreements such as CUSMA, CETA, and CPTPP, all of which entailed breaches in our supply management regime. Despite initial concerns from farmers, particularly regarding the impact on poultry, eggs, and dairy, these sectors have fared well. A dairy farm in Ontario recently sold for a staggering $21.5 million in Oxford County. Claims of losses resulting from increased market access are often unfounded, as farmer boards simply adjust quotas when producers exit the industry.

In essence, Bill C-282 represents a misguided initiative driven by farmer boards capitalizing on the ignorance of urban residents and politicians regarding rural realities. Embracing further protectionism will not only harm consumers yearning for more competition at the grocery store but also impede the growth opportunities of various agricultural sectors striving to compete globally and stifle the expansion prospects of non-agricultural sectors seeking increased market access.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

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Agriculture

Degrowth: How to Make the World Poorer, Polluted and Miserable

Published on March 23, 2024

By

From StosselTV

Activists have a new goal: “DEgrowth.”

They say “growth is killing us.” They couldn’t be MORE wrong.

“Growth is not killing us. It’s saving us!” says author Johan Norberg. He explains why growth is essential to human progress, especially for poor people. “In poor countries, if you manage to grow by 4% annually over 20 years,” he points out, “that reduces poverty in that country on average by 80%.

But DEgrowth activists insist that growth means “climate chaos.” They say a smaller economy would be “sweeter.” They say “We must urgently dismantle capitalism!” It’s destructive nonsense. This video explains why.

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After 40+ years of reporting, I now understand the importance of limited government and personal freedom.

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Libertarian journalist John Stossel created Stossel TV to explain liberty and free markets to young people.

Prior to Stossel TV he hosted a show on Fox Business and co-anchored ABC’s primetime newsmagazine show, 20/20. Stossel’s economic programs have been adapted into teaching kits by a non-profit organization, “Stossel in the Classroom.” High school teachers in American public schools now use the videos to help educate their students on economics and economic freedom. They are seen by more than 12 million students every year.

Stossel has received 19 Emmy Awards and has been honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club.

Other honors include the George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting and the George Foster Peabody Award.

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