Agrarian Chamber reps meet with PM, but planned blockade to go ahead

A meeting of representatives of the Czech Agrarian Chamber and the prime minister has failed to head off a planned blockade for October 13, when farmers will use tractors and other machinery to slow traffic on Czech roads. The protest blockade will last two hours and will not affect highways. Farmers are protesting next year’s proposed Agriculture Ministry budget and calling for an additional 2.8 billion crowns in direct payments. The prime minister told representatives it would be possible to use one billion from the land fund and possible to secure an additional billion crowns from reserves from this year’s agriculture ministry budget.