The climate action group Extinction Rebellion Wageningen (XR) has launched a crowdfunding campaign to purchase tractors. ‘The recent farmers’ protests showed us how useful tractors are when you want to make a point.’
‘If we organize a climate march in Amsterdam with 50,000 people, we attract some attention briefly, but sadly it ebbs away after a day,’ says Annewil Leven (a Bachelor’s student of Biology) on behalf of XR. ‘By throwing soup over art, we scare off some of our left-wing supporters. And gluing ourselves to talk-show tables doesn’t have as much of an impact as we had hoped either, unfortunately. But as soon as activist farmers block the motorway with tractors and spread manure on the road, there is much more of a commotion and attention is paid. As a result, the issue gets discussed for longer and more broadly. Eventually, someone was even appointed specially to listen to them! We want Remkes to listen to us too! So we are raising money for a small fleet of tractors.’
The campaigners hope to buy 10 John Deere tractors this year. ‘Second-hand of course, that’s a lot more sustainable,’ Leven says. Why John Deeres? ‘They are pleasing to the eye! Besides, it might boost the intersectional support for the climate movement from farmers. We hope farmers will see our tractors and think, “phwoah, that’s gorgeous”. Climate change affects us all, so we should show solidarity.’
Besides, tractors are just really handy, Leven says. ‘I’ve got a big vegetable garden myself, which is quite hard work. It’ll be a lot more doable with a tractor.’
XR Wageningen is planning to adopt some of the protesting farmers’ other tactics. ‘You see the flag flying upside down all over the place,’ says Leven. ‘Everyone knows it stands for farmers’ dissatisfaction with the government’s policy. We are dissatisfied too, but we are not farmers. We are going to turn the flag 90 degrees. That will make people think: they are dissatisfied too, but they can’t be farmers! Or they’ll think they’re in France – that could explain it too, of course.’
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