Neubrandenburg (dpa / mv) - Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's farmers' association is dissatisfied with the work of the traffic light coalition in Berlin. "We expected that there would be a real boost when the Greens have complete control," said association president Detlef Kurreck to the "Nordkurier" (Friday) with a view to the takeover of the agricultural department by Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir (Greens). But it took more than a year "just to get the measly animal welfare label off the ground." And if you need a quarter of the legislative period to find yourself, you can only speak of standstill, complained Kurreck.
The Future Commission, which was founded almost two years ago in response to the farmers' protests, is also making no progress. Kurreck said that he himself represented the German Farmers' Association at the first meeting of the commission under the new government. "Federal Minister of Agriculture Özdemir could not tell which goals he wanted to aim for." There is now a lack of a clear order as to how to proceed. "The fact is: not one of the demonstrators' demands has been implemented."
Kurreck believes that the new EU funding programs that will come into force next year are insufficient. The central political promise for the new funding period was that one could earn money with environmental measures. "The claim was not met at all," said Kurreck. It remains the case that only lost profit or additional effort would be compensated. The new regulation is also more bureaucratic than the previous one. "In addition, we are walking on very thin ice and mistakes can be sanctioned quickly." Some people wonder if they are only doing what is absolutely necessary.
