In his home state of Baden-Württemberg, Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Green Party) encountered a harsh rejection. Originally, Özdemir had planned to attend a farmers’ rally in Ellwangen on January 10 and then visit the Löwenbräu brewery in Aalen, as reported by “Bild”.
Now brewery chief Albrecht Barth has sent a disinvitation to the minister. “I sent a letter to the ministry a few weeks ago and declined,” Barth said.
Barth Intended to Express Solidarity with Farmers
The reason for the rejection is that the cost-cutting plans of the traffic light coalition government to abolish agricultural diesel subsidies and the tax exemption for tractors “unfairly hit” the farmers.
“We source a large portion of our brewery raw materials from farmers,” Barth told “Bild”. “Accordingly, we show solidarity with them.”
The Ministry of Agriculture “accepted the rejection with great regret.”
