Joachim Ruckwied has been President of the German Farmers’ Association since 2012. At the start of the 2026 “International Green Week” in Berlin, he called for a radical cut to all legal requirements since 2010 and demanded a “market-driven economic policy,” according to “Tagesspiegel Background.” However, Ruckwied is unwilling to forgo agricultural subsidies, which finance about one-third of agricultural income.

nature solidarity points to Farmers’ President Ruckwied’s shared responsibility for biodiversity loss, soil damage, inadequate animal welfare, the threat to food security in Europe, and the lack of new talent in the agricultural sector.

“Since the turn of the millennium, around 1.5 trillion euros have flowed into the EU agricultural system. According to Mr. Ruckwied, this was to compensate for the higher standards that apply in the EU. However, the agricultural sector continues to cause massive ecological damage and costs—90 billion euros every year in Germany alone. Since 2012, Farmers’ President Ruckwied has personally shared significant responsibility for this,” says nature solidarity board member Matthias Wolfschmidt.
“Mr. Ruckwied has no ideas beyond deregulation and continuing with subsidies as usual. He has no strategy for how agriculture and agricultural policy in Germany and Europe can be developed for the future in times of climate change, species extinction, and geopolitical upheaval. Mr. Ruckwied clearly has no answers to these challenges.”

According to nature solidarity, the consequences of the destructive agricultural policy driven largely by the German Farmers’ Association under the leadership of Joachim Ruckwied since 2012 have long been scientifically documented: pesticide residues on 80% and over-fertilization on 70% of arable land, agricultural toxins in the water; massive losses of bees, butterflies, and field birds, as well as annual losses of 50 billion euros due to declining soil fertility alone.
Furthermore, the loss of farms, over-indebtedness, and the psychological strain on many farmers have not been halted despite the lavish subsidies. Many businesses now have their backs to the wall, while there is a lack of new talent and unrestrained speculation dictates prices on the world market.

Background:

nature solidarity is calling for a realignment of EU agricultural policy. The current policy is responsible for massive species extinction, the imminent collapse of ecosystems, and the excessive burden placed on many farmers in Europe.

Market-based incentives should replace subsidies and excessive agricultural bureaucracy. In this way, not only is environmentally and climate-friendly production promoted throughout the EU, but overdue innovations are also triggered. Incentives for this are provided by EU-wide pricing of pesticides, mineral fertilizers, and agricultural CO2 emissions. To ensure that the new EU agriculture for biodiversity, stable ecosystems, and healthy soils is successful from both a macroeconomic and microeconomic perspective, domestic producers will be protected from cheap imports from third countries with lower standards through environmental tariffs.

The goal of nature solidarity is a sustainable agriculture with fair incomes that is also attractive to young people. Social compensatory measures are intended to ensure that all consumers can maintain a healthy and balanced diet. The NGO is a non-profit association (e.V.), politically independent, and is funded exclusively by donations from non-profit organizations and private individuals.

Contact:

Matthias Wolfschmidt, Board Member
+49 (0)151 58178205
presse@nature-solidarity.org

Download Press Release, January 15, 2026