[Economics] It is not just the German Farmers - The Downfall of Farmers in the EU 2024-02-05

The protests of farmers in Germany are currently attracting great attention because of the planned cuts from the federal government. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution even warns that a right-wing extremist threat could arise from the protests. The reason is that the planned abolition of subsidies on diesel for farmers and the planned but later abandonded introduction of a vehicle tax for agricultural vehicles. The German government came with these plans to compensate for the current budget deficit.
Most recently Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) was confronted by protesting farmers when he arrived in the city pf Schlüttsiel with a ferry. Allegedly the farmers had tried to storm his ferry. [1] In fact there was no attempt to storm the ferry or use violence as can be seen on the video recordings and is now admitted by the press. [2] [3]

France, Netherlands & Belgiun

However the protests in Germany are only the latest episode. From the end of 2018 to the beginning of 2019 nationwide protests took place in France with the yellow vest movement (Mouvement des Gilets jaunes). They were concerned with better wages, higher pensions, the abolition of the austerity policy and a strengthening of rural regions as can be seen from an internal manifesto of the first few days. [4]

At the beginning of 2020 protests by farmers took place in the Netherlands. And since tractors were banned, toy tractors or bales were brought by protesters. [5] [6] The reason for these protests were new and lower limits for nitrogen and phosphate in the soil. The government's proposals to particularly heavily affected farmers were the change to another business model, a change of location or to abandon of one's own company entirely. [7] [8]

And by the spring of 2023 protests by farmers took place in Belgiun. Then the capitol Brussels was brought to a standstill by the protests. Here the reason was also new lower limit for nitrogen and phosphate in the soil. [9] [10]

Consolidation

A consequence of the extinction of farmers as described above is the subsequent consolidation by massive land purchases by a few actors. The largest country owners in the USA include Bill Gates with 100,000 hectares and Jeff Bezos with 170,000 hectares. But while Bezos also has forest and other not arable area Gates is the largest owner of arable land in the USA. The land is primarily bought and managed by the Gate's own company Cascade Investments. [11]

And compensation could actually be the breeding of insects for consumption. Insects are already advertised by the German federal government. And according to the german consumer advice center (Verbraucherzentrale) insects were already identified in 32% of food in 2020. [12]

So far four insects have been approved as food in the European Union:

1. June 2021: Flour beetle (Tenebrio molitor) dried in the larval stage.
2. November 2021: Hiking grasshopper (Locusta migratoria) frozen, dried, powder -shaped.
3. February 2022/ January 2023: House crickets (Acheta domesticus) frozen, dried, powder -shaped/ partially degreased powder.
4. January 2023: BuffalOthurm/cereal beetle (Alphitobius diaperinus) frozen, paste -like, dried, pulverized.

[12]

However this is particularly questionable because insects are shellfish and can cause corresponding allergic reactions.

[1] „Sonst wäre der Mob an Bord gewesen“: Habeck-Fähre laut Reederei-Chef fast von Landwirten erstürmt - 2024-01-05
https://www.suedkurier.de/ueberregional/politik/reederei-chef-erstuermung-von-habeck-faehre-nur-knapp-durch-ablegen-verhindert;art410924,11852504
[2] Blockade der Habeck-Fähre nach Recherchen des NDR kein Erstürmungsversuch - 2024-01-12
https://www.ndr.de/der_ndr/presse/mitteilungen/Blockade-der-Habeck-Faehre-nach-Recherchen-des-NDR-kein-Erstuermungsversuch,pressemeldungndr24378.html
[3] Niemand versuchte, die Habeck-Fähre zu stürmen - 2024-01-15
https://www.nordkurier.de/politik/blockade-der-habeck-faehre-nach-recherchen-des-ndr-kein-erstuermungsversuch-2189188
[4] Les Revendications Des Gilets Jaunes
https://de.scribd.com/document/394450377/Les-revendications-des-gilets-jaunes
[5] Erneut massive Bauernproteste in den Niederlanden - 2020-02-19
https://www.agrarheute.com/land-leben/erneut-massive-bauernproteste-niederlanden-565187
[6] Niederlande: Bauernproteste ohne Traktor - Polizei undercover vor Ort - 2020-07-23
https://www.agrarheute.com/politik/niederlande-bauernproteste-ohne-traktor-polizei-undercover-ort-571208
[7] Höfesterben und Agrarpoltik - Niederlande: Immer mehr Bauern wandern aus - 2020-01-14
https://www.agrarheute.com/politik/niederlande-immer-mehr-bauern-wandern-563591
[8] Up to 3,000 ‘peak polluters’ given last chance to close by Dutch government - 2022-11-30
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/30/peak-polluters-last-chance-close-dutch-government
[9] Aggro-culture: Farmers’ protest brings Brussels’ EU Quarter to a standstill - Protesters torch tires at busy junction - 2023-03-03
https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-farmer-protests-brussels-nitrogen-emissions/
[10] AGGRO-CULTURE: FARMERS’ PROTEST BRINGS BRUSSELS’ EU QUARTER TO A STANDSTILL - 2023-03-03
https://euobserve.com/society/aggro-culture-farmers-protest-brings-brussels-eu-quarter-to-a-standstill/
[11] Bodenmarkt in den USA - Bill Gates: Der größte Eigentümer von Farmland in den USA - 2021-01-18
https://www.agrarheute.com/management/finanzen/bill-gates-groesste-eigentuemer-farmland-usa-577223
[12] Nur mit klarer Kennzeichnung - Insekten als Lebensmittel - 2023-02-08
https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/nachhaltigkeitspolitik/insekten-in-nahrungsmitteln-2162992