In early 2024, farmers across Germany, Switzerland, and France took to the streets in coordinated protests to denounce rising costs, falling subsidies, and increasingly strict environmental regulations. What I witnessed wasn’t just a demonstration—it was a massive, grassroots outcry from people who feel their livelihoods are being overlooked by policy-makers.
I followed tractors rolling through rural roads and into major cities. In Germany, highways were blocked by long lines of farming vehicles bearing flags, signs, and messages of frustration. In Switzerland and France, farmers gathered in city centers, often bringing animals or dumping manure in front of government buildings as a symbolic gesture of protest.
There was order, but also urgency. These were not just demonstrations—they were acts of survival. Farmers spoke of collapsing prices, unfair competition, and policies that seemed disconnected from the reality of agricultural life.
Through my lens, I tried to capture the faces behind the tractors—the people who feed entire nations but are too often pushed to the margins. The protests were powerful not because of violence or confrontation, but because of their scale, discipline, and human emotion. It was clear that these communities are not asking for favors—they are demanding fairness and recognition.
This series documents a Europe-wide protest movement that, at its core, is about the future of rural life. What happens to farmers affects all of us. These images are a reminder to look beyond the headlines and into the fields where real stories grow.
