Farmers protesters have blocked Germany capital Berlin roads, it came after a mass protest by the Land schafft Verbindung in November.
Long convoys of vehicles blocked roads in Bavaria, Baden Württemberg and Bremen, as well as the German capital. Agriculturists are angry at what they perceive as unwarranted environmental regulations.
Several hundred tractors blockaded roads across Germany on Friday as farmers vented their frustration over environmental regulations.
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The vehicles were headed for Berlin, along with a number of other parts of the country. Commuters were warned to expect disruption in the states where the convoy of tractors were out in force namely Bavaria and Baden Württemberg in the south, Hesse in central Germany and Lower Saxony in the north, as well as Bremen and Berlin.
The mayor of the German capital, Michael Müller, recognized that it is a “burden for Berlin,” but “the farmers have their point of view.” and that locals will “have to tolerate” the upheaval.
The rallies come as Berlin holds the International Green Week, a food and agricultural fair which starts on Friday. The annual festival, which has been in existence for almost 100 years, has seen a number of protests in recent years as locals express concerns over the future of the agricultural industry and the environmental policy.
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The agricultural workers are angry at government policies regarding new animal welfare labeling and restrictions on the use of pesticides to protect insects, among other things.
It is the second time in recent months tractors have descended on Germany’s urban areas after bringing traffic to a standstill in October 2019, with farmers citing government policies to limit nitrate runoff from fields and boost nature conservation as the principle reasons at the time for their blockade.
Farmers from this movement are angry about new planned regulations which Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner, of the CDU, and Environment Minister Svenja Schulze, of the SPD, presented at the beginning of September last year.
Among other things, the government package stipulates that the weedkiller glyphosate will be banned in Germany by the end of 2023 after a phasing-out period.
The government is also proposing to reduce the nitrate content in ground water by cutting the use of certain fertilizers and liquid manure.
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But many German farmers say they are still coping with large amounts of excess nitrate from the past.
There are fears that the agricultural package will endanger family-run farms, according to the Land schafft Verbindung.
Farmers protesters have blocked Berlin roads over environmental regulations.