Bavaria’s CSU Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber accuses the traffic light government of cutting farmers’ money. The Green Anton Hofreiter disagrees: In tough times, the farms also have to make their contribution.
Farmers have been taking to the streets all over the country since January 8th. © Olivier Heiligeners for DIE ZEIT
THE TIME: Angry farmers have been on the streets for days. Ms. Kaniber, you are the Minister of Agriculture in Bavaria. Who betrayed the German farmers?
Michaela Kaniber: Clearly the federal government with its tax increases for agriculture. They were the last straw. All of this is too much for even the strongest farmer, who already suffers from countless restrictions and prohibitions. That’s why I think the protests are right. The speed at which the traffic light coalition is driving our economy and the agricultural state into the wall exceeds my worst red-green nightmares.