It cannot be justified that the traffic light wants to forgive millions of euros in taxes to farmers. You must take action against animal cruelty.
Cottbus, Brandenburg, June 26: Farmers' president Joachim Rukwied poses next to a tractor Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa
The reaction of the farmers association to the agricultural relief agreed to by the traffic light coalition is outrageous. The federal government is again donating millions to the industry, although it is saving almost everywhere thanks to the debt brake. Despite this reality, the head of the association, Joachim Rukwied, called for even more privileges on Farmers' Day.
The SPD, the Greens and the FDP are already going too far in helping farmers with their “agricultural package”. It cannot be justified that farmers have to pay less income taxes in the future if their profits fluctuate over three years. The FDP justifies this by saying that agriculture is especially exposed to inclement weather. However, these fluctuations also affect other sectors, such as tourism and much of the restaurant industry. Should the federal government now also reduce taxes for these sectors?
German agriculture already receives around €9 billion a year from the EU and the federal government in the form of financial aid and tax relief. This industry only employs about 1 percent of the workforce.
Tractors worth a quarter of a million
Most farmers have wealth in the form of land that ordinary people can only dream of. There are no reliable figures on their income because the statistics often overlook important sources of income, such as photovoltaic installations. But whoever can demonstrate in Berlin with tractors that cost 250,000 euros will not go hungry.
The fact that companies keep giving up is part of competition under capitalism. This does not endanger food security because when a farm closes, its land does not lie fallow but passes into the hands of other companies.
Therefore, the traffic light should no longer give way to livestock farmers and should not give up on the reform of the animal protection law, as Rukwied demanded. In ten years, tying animals all year round will be prohibited. 10 percent of all livestock in Germany still suffer this torture. The fact that Rukwied doesn't want this to be banned says a lot about his moral compass.