STORY: Hundreds of German farmers protested against the government’s food policy in Berlin on Saturday (January 17), saying they were struggling due to price pressure and that the Mercosur trade deal between the European Union and South American group Mercosur would only make things worse.

"Mercosur basically adds insult to injury,” said farmer Dorothee Sterz from the eastern German state of Saxony, sitting on a tractor with a view of Berlin’s landmark, the Brandenburg Gate.

Top EU officials were to travel to Paraguay on Saturday to sign a free trade agreement with Mercosur, paving the way for the European Union's largest ever trade accord after 25 years of negotiations.

A spokesperson for the Berlin protest, Jan Greve of the "We Are Fed Up Alliance," said the current German government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz stood for "less animal welfare” and removed "many standards designed to protect the environment, climate and animals, calling it bureaucracy reduction.”

Greve also said the Mercosur deal would further increase price pressure on German food producers and was "not in the interests of farmers on either side of the Atlantic.”

Proponents say the accord is essential to offset business lost to U.S. tariffs and reduce reliance on China by securing access to critical minerals.

Critics, including some European farmers and environmental groups, protest that a deal would lead to a surge of cheap imports of South American commodities, notably beef, and to further deforestation.

Saturday’s protest was attended by some 2,800 people, according to Berlin police, while the organisers spoke of 8,000 participants.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: BERLIN, GERMANY (JANUARY 17, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1 FARMERS, SUPPORTERS AND ONLOOKERS GATHERED AT BERLIN’S BRANDENBURG GATE

2. ROW OF PARKED TRACTORS

3. NOSE OF LARGE INFLATABLE PIG

4. PEOPLE STANDING NEAR TRACTOR

5. CHICKEN FIGURE DANGLING FROM TRACTOR

6. TIRES OF PARKED TRACTORS

7. FARMER DOROTHEE STERZ SITTING INSIDE TRACTOR CABIN

8. (SOUNDBITE) (German) FARMER FROM EASTERN STATE OF SAXONY, DOROTHEE STERZ, SAYING:

"I am a cattle farmer from Saxony. We have our own farm with 60 cattle and we are simply struggling as livestock farmers at the moment. It's not good. The high price pressure means we are in a poor market position. Mercosur basically adds insult to injury.”

9. PARKED TRACTORS WITH PLACARDS READING IN GERMAN “YES TO RURAL AGRICULTURE” AND “POWER TO THE BAUER" (FARMER)

10. PLACARD IN GERMAN READING “POWER TO THE BAUER" (FARMER)

11. (SOUNDBITE) (German) FARMER FROM EASTERN STATE OF SAXONY, DOROTHEE STERZ, SAYING:

"There is also the Animal Welfare Labelling Act. That is still not on the way. The demand for the conversion to fair livestock farming has also been deleted. And the promotion of the conversion to fair livestock farming has also been deleted. A great many measures that contradict our ecological and ethical standards have simply been scrapped.”

12. HORN ON SIDE OF TRACTOR

13. BANNER ON SIDE OF TRAILER READING (German): “FIELDS WITHOUT GENETIC ENGINEERING”

14. (SOUNDBITE) (German) “WE ARE FED UP” ORGANISATION SPOKESPERSON, JAN GREVE, SAYING:

"The current German government stands for less animal welfare. It is removing many standards designed to protect the environment, climate and animals, and calling it bureaucracy reduction. It is not ensuring that the decline of farms is halted. There are many problems with this agricultural policy and we as the 'We Are Fed Up Alliance' are taking to the streets together to show that there are many people who are calling for a different agricultural policy.”

15. PLACARDS ON TRACTORS READING (English): “QUEER AS NATURE” AND (German): “FOR FORMING WITH A FUTURE!”

16. PLACARD ON TRACTOR READING (English): “QUEER AS NATURE”

17. (SOUNDBITE) (German) “WE ARE FED UP” ORGANISATION SPOKESPERSON, JAN GREVE, SAYING (ON MERCOSUR):

"German farmers, but also farmers throughout the EU are affected because this agreement, if it goes ahead, will increase price pressure even further. Price pressure is already very, very high on farms. Every year, around 2,600 farms in Germany have to close because they simply cannot survive economically, as prices are already so poor for farmers. This agreement would increase the price pressure even further. This is not in the interests of farmers on either side of the Atlantic.”

18. PEOPLE GATHERED AT BRANDENBURG GATE