2y ago

Angry German farmers drive their tractors to Berlin over diesel tax

www.euronews.com

Archived version: https://archive.ph/b8eFd
Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20231218172251/https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/12/18/angry-german-farmers-drive-their-tractors-to-berlin-over-diesel-tax

5 comments

Where are all the dumbass comments complaining about how these farmers are holding up average working people's commutes like you see in environmental protest threads?
crickets
- They're holding up average people's commutes, which probably doesn't do the too well with persuading people about their ideas
  You happy?
As more details of the deal have emerged, so has discontent, notably over a plan to cut tax breaks for agricultural diesel and scrap an exemption from car tax for farming vehicles.
They're not increasing taxes on diesel; they are no longer planning to subsidize it. These are not the same and subsidies for gas and diesel should be ended worldwide.
Also, driving your diesel-fueled tractors into the city is not going to bring you much sympathy. You're just worsening the problem.
Crappy situation all around. Best I can tell, there arent many, if any large pieces equipment offered in electric. Probably not a popular European brand, but last I read, John Deere wasn't looking to have anything for the mid-tier until 2026 and had no plans for the large fleet.
It's also not like farmers do a lot of equipment swapping; most I know use them and repair them until you simple can't anymore. So, even if there were options coming onto the market, the percentage of those in the field would be very low to start and remain low for a LONG time.
Helping farmers make a switch is a shortcut, but the equipment has to exist for someone to buy.
Call Justin Trudeau, he knows how to handle these uppity poors