During the nationwide farmers’ protest, which took place last Friday, February 9, the editorial office of “Farmer” was present, among others, in Poznan. In the capital of Greater Poland, there were strong words about the state of European agriculture. We summarize the strike in Poznań.
Angry farmers from Greater Poland
– You know exactly that to piss off a farmer from Greater Poland, you have to cross a few barriers. They have been exceeded, that’s why we are here, said one of the representatives of the protesting farmers, Janusz Białogórski, to those gathered in front of the Wielkopolska Voivodeship Office.
Considering the scale of the protest in Poznań, local farmers have actually reached the end of their endurance. On Friday, February 9, 2024, the nationwide rebellion took farmers to the Wielkopolska Provincial Office in Poznań, where they protested and expressed their demands for several hours.
On this day, all of Poland saw farmers taking to the roads all over the country. Poznań was one of several provincial cities in which agricultural tractors reached practically the very center.
According to the organizers, the number of participants in the protest in Poznań could have exceeded 2,000. The line of tractors stretched for many kilometers of streets – not everyone managed to reach and fit in the central point of the strike.
The protest started at 10:00. Farmers’ representatives, including the initiators of the strike from the Rola Wielkopolski organization, spoke out and expressed bitter opinions about the condition of European and Polish agriculture and the position of the farmer himself.
The following were cited, among others: paranoia of regulations flooding the hosts, failures in the fight against ASF, deteriorating economic situation of farms, lack of balance in the policy of helping Ukraine and pro-climate policy.
According to the farmers gathered in Poznań, they have been belittled, humiliated and treated with contempt in recent years.
Representatives of the protesting farmers emphasized that for the last two years they had been unsuccessfully appealing for changes in the Green Deal and the approach to the import of agricultural products from Ukraine. Now that the authorities, deaf to substantive arguments, have forced desperate farmers to take to the streets – they will not stop until their demands are met down to the last point.
Demands at the farmers’ protest in Poznań
The Rola Wielkopolski organization presented seven key demands for protesting farmers:
- Immediate withdrawal from the European Green Deal and the creation of a new Common Agricultural Policy based on farmers’ principles.
- A ban on placing products produced in a manner other than that recommended in EU directives on the Polish and European Union market and the restoration of customs duties on agri-food products from Ukraine.
- Immediate expansion of port infrastructure and railway lines to improve logistics related to the export of our agricultural produce.
- Significant reduction of bureaucracy in agriculture, simplification of law and increased freedom of operation of the agricultural sector.
- Facilitating agricultural investments in rural areas.
- Limit increase de minimis up to 50 thousand euro.
- Waiver of the ban on the use of nitrogen fertilizers in the period from November to March.
Words from the Voivode of Greater Poland to farmers
As expected by farmers, the Voivode of Greater Poland, Agata Sobczyk, approached the gathered protesters. She assured that she appreciated the work of farmers and their significant role in society and declared her support. Representatives of striking farmers were invited by the voivode to a meeting.
– We understand the difficulties our farmers face. Today we are not able to guarantee the fulfillment of these demands, but I undertake to forward them to the ministry for further talks – said Agata Sobczyk after the meeting.
The organization is commendable
What is worth praising is the good organization of the protest in Poznań from all parties involved – farmers, police and the city. The strike, despite the high level of emotions, took place without any serious incidents and was peaceful. Both protesters and police officers treated each other with respect and did not provoke conflict situations.
The city authorities ensured relatively smooth entry and movement of tractors around Poznań. The streets actually emptied, making room for protesters.
It should also be emphasized that the striking farmers in Poznań allowed emergency vehicles to pass efficiently and were prepared to create life corridors if necessary.
Farmers in Poznań placed a symbolic wheelbarrow full of manure with the EU flag and a coffin with the inscription “we will not be buried alive” in front of the Office. A flare was lit and several loud firecrackers were thrown on the road, but everything took place without posing a threat to those gathered.
Watch a short video showing the course of the farmers’ protest in Poznań:
– .
