On Wednesday, farmers will stage another day of mass action to express their anger at the government’s planned cuts to agricultural subsidies.

Once again, tractor blockades are set to be a central feature of the protests, spelling misery for motorists who plan on using the Autobahn.  

The latest round of protests against planned austerity measures will severely restrict access to the motorways in and around towns and cities, the farmers’ association announced on Wednesday.

In Bavaria, the association called on farmers to join demonstrations between 9am and 3pm on motorways throughout the state.

According to local administrators, at least 18 motorway entrances were due to be blocked on Wednesday, though exits were set to remain clear.

READ ALSO: EU to begin talks with farming leaders after wave of farmers’ protests around Europe

At least seven motorway slip roads were cordoned off around Munich alone, with disruption stretching from Garmisch-Patenkirchen in the south to Hof in the north. 

Similar protests were also planned in the eastern states of Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, as well as in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. 

In Thuringia, the blockades on motorway access roads were scheduled between 8am and 1pm on Wednesday, with police predicting considerable delays for drivers.

“As in previous weeks, we ask that the blockades be organised peacefully and that the instructions of the local law enforcement authorities be followed,” said Thuringia’s farmers’ president Klaus Wagner in a statement.

In Saxony-Anhalt, meanwhile, blockades are expected on the A2, A9, A14, A36, A38 and A143, including on routes running into Madgeburg, Halle and Stendal. 

According to the farmers, brief openings will be permitted at intervals, depending on the local traffic. 

Between 7am and 9am on Wednesday morning, around 20 farmers also blocked bridges along the A19 and A20 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, disrupting traffic south of Rostock and along the northern coastline. 

Isolated protests are also planned in other states. 

What are the farmers protesting about?

With this latest round of protests, the farmers’ association want to place pressure on the government ahead of the final vote on the 2024 budget, which is due to take place this week.

In an attempt to plug and multi-billion-euro hole in the national budget, the traffic light coalition of the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Democrats (FDP) had announced plans to slash subsidies for agricultural businesses.

This led to an outpouring of anger in the farming community, who claim they are facing an existential threat after years of neglect. 

READ ALSO: Why are German farmers so angry?

So far the government has held firm on plans to cut farming subsidies, though they did agree to bring in a proposed cut on agricultural diesel subsidies later than originally planned. 

Now, the farmers’ association is calling not only for a reversal of the proposed budget cuts, but also new relief measures for the industry as a means of rebuilding trust.