BERLIN, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of German farmers took to the streets in cities all across the country on Tuesday to protest against the government's agricultural policies.
participants in the protests, organized by the movement "Countryside Creates Connection," argue that the government's "current environmental and agricultural policies are endangering the economic power and social peace in rural areas in Germany."
Before the protests started, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture Julia Kloeckner voiced sympathy with the farmers. "Our German farming families ensure that our table is always set," Kloeckner told the German public broadcaster ZDF on Tuesday.
From early on Tuesday, thousands of tractors took to the roads to join the protests and were obstructing traffic in several cities, German media reported.
More than 40,000 farmers took part in the protest movement, according to the organizers.
The largest demonstration took place in Bonn. It was expected to attract 8,000 to 10,000 farmers with around 800 tractors, German media reported. The police office in the city of Brandenburg reported via Twitter that the "number of vehicles has increased to currently approximately 200."
The farmers protested against the government's plans to boost environmental and animal protection in agriculture and to address nitrate pollution of groundwater, caused by fertilization.
"Stricter fertilizer regulations lead to under-fertilization," the movement warned, stressing that in some areas "this damages the soil and water more than it benefits."
Farmers were often accused of being cruel to animals or being polluters, which was "neither right nor fair," Kloeckner said, adding that society expected farmers to comply with the European Union's (EU) rules on the protection of groundwater against pollution. These rules are binding on all EU member states.
According to the protesting farmers, the German government's current policies were endangering family farms. Furthermore, so-called farmer-bashing would lead to "anger and frustration within the profession."
"Talk to each other instead of about each other," urged Maike Schulz-Broers, the organizers' contact person. She called for negotiations on the government's agricultural policy plans.
