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Berlin (dpa) - Before the - this time only digital - agricultural fair Green Week in Berlin, environmental and consumer advocates are pressing for a radical change in direction in agriculture.
The organization Foodwatch criticized “unacceptable conditions” in animal husbandry, in environmental, climate and occupational safety that made low prices possible in the first place, as managing director Martin Rücker of the German press agency said.
In the capital, demonstrators marched to the Chancellery with around 30 tractors under the motto “We're sick of it”.
Federal Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) turned to farmers against blanket allegations.
Foodwatch boss Rücker said: "If the competition in the retail sector brings us cheap food prices, then from a consumer's point of view this is positive."
But the “real prices” for milk, meat or cheese are not paid at the supermarket checkout.
The political approach to pump more tax money into the system has failed.
Due to the corona pandemic, the Green Week on Wednesday and Thursday only takes place with a digital conference program.
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The demonstration in Berlin, to which tens of thousands of participants came in previous years, was therefore smaller.
An alliance of 60 organizations called for it, including farmers, organic farming associations, church aid organizations and environmentalists.
Industrial agriculture must be stopped, said spokesman Christian Rollmann.
For example, there are calls for the number of animals in stables and meat consumption to be reduced significantly.
Around 10,000 supporters reportedly sent in footprints and shoe prints on paper - because they could not come themselves.
Klöckner said of the protests: "All-or-nothing demands polarize."
It goes without saying that the economy must permanently become more sustainable.
Research and modernization therefore played a major role in the farmers themselves, but also in German and European funding policy and legislation.
"Anyone who has maintained the same polarizing enemy images for years does not want to admit these changes," said Klöckner.
"That is a shame and does not do justice to the many farming families who have embraced major changes."
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210116-99-52355 / 2
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