Background: During the winter of 2023/24, farmers across Europe initiated protests. In Germany, these demonstrations were characterised by substantial turnouts, frequently occurring concurrently in multiple cities, and the undertaking of contentious actions such as the dumping of manure on public thoroughfares, the obstruction of motorways by tractor convoys. Objective: As the protests unfolded, it became evident from both media coverage and statements made by farmers themselves that the issues of the abolition of subsidies for agricultural diesel and vehicle tax exemptions merely served as catalysts for more profound underlying causes. However, a comprehensive analysis of the farmers' motivations has been limited thus far. This is crucial for understanding and addressing farmers' dissatisfaction, as adjustments made in response to the protests may not fully address the underlying causes, leaving these unresolved. This paper aims to address this gap by examining the causes of the protests in winter 2023/24 and the background of the perceived dissatisfaction in German agriculture. Method: We conducted 35 qualitative interviews with farmers in ten German regions between the end of February and May 2024. In order to ensure a comprehensive representation of the diversity amongst farmers, a wide range of farm types were included in the study. The data was analysed according to the thematic analysis approach. Results & Discussion: A recurrent theme in the interviews was the identification of three main underlying motives for the participation in the protests. These were as follows: a perceived loss of identity as well as discrepancy between self-perception and social attribution; a recognised lack of trust in the activities of the farmers by society and of farmers in political actions; and a perceived overbearing bureaucracy. The identified main motive of farmers’ protest seems to be interrelated, so that addressing one aspect can have impacts on the other both motives.
