with hay in chaotic scenes in the

They even used huge combine harvesters to spray security

Clashes between angry daily farmers and riot police escalated today in Brussels when one daring farmer decided to use his tractor to break through the security forces barricade, causing havoc among the ranks of officers.

Approaching the thick fence of barbed wire and metal posts, the farmer in his green tractor uses the front bumper of his vehicle as a ram to slowly pull the fence back.

Riot police armed with batons and shields begin to panic as the tractor drives forward, forcing the police officers to retreat several steps backward.

The tractor quickly goes into reverse, ripping the reinforced barrier away as the police use multiple water cannons to try and stop the tractor, blasting it with heavy torrents of water.

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Fighting back: Approaching the thick fence of barbed wire and metal posts, the farmer in his green tractor uses the front bumper of his vehicle as a ram to slowly pull the fence back

Breakthrough: Riot police armed with batons and shields begin to panic as the tractor drives forward, forcing the police officers to retreat several steps backward

Retreating: The tractor quickly goes into reverse, ripping the reinforced barrier away as the police use multiple water cannons to try and stop the tractor, blasting it with heavy torrents of water

Demonstrations: Thousands of farmers, driving hundreds of tractors through Brussels city centre, clashed with police officers today

Standing firm: Two farmers attempt to roll a large bale of hay towards the line of riot police during the farmers demonstration in Brussels

The astonishing scenes in the Belgian capital Brussels this morning saw thousands of dairy farmers set light to haystacks, sprayed police with hay machines and threw eggs during angry protests.

Thousands of farmers, driving hundreds of tractors through the city center, protested outside European Union headquarters to demand more aid and higher prices for their milk and meat.

From across the 28-nation EU, farmers converged on EU headquarters with their tractors, snarling traffic throughout the morning in the capital and on some highways leading into Brussels.

This afternoon EU agriculture ministers will meet in an extraordinary session to assess the crisis and look for ways to help the farmers.

Resistance: Protesters clashed with police after farmers pelted riot police with eggs and shower the security personnel with pieces of hay

Clashes: One bold protester attempts to hurl a brick at police as daily farmers from across Europe take part in a demonstration in Brussels

Alight: Farmers stand next to their tractors after lighting a fire during a farmers demonstration in Brussels earlier this morning

Anger: Protesters blasted officers with eggs (right) and sprayed them with hay machines in chaotic scenes earlier this morning

The EU Commission said it proposed a package of measures to the ministers to immediately ease farmers' cash flow problems, stabilize the volatile markets and better regulate the supply chain to better protect farmers.

'It will be a robust and decisive response,' said EU Commission spokesman Daniel Rosario.

With the relentless blowing of horns, farmers showed their anger over a drop in prices that has intensified since the opening up of the milk market early this year.

'Prices have gone down 30-40 percent for most farmers and our farms are really going bankrupt like this,' said Sieta van Keimpema, vice president of the European Milk Board farmers group.

Some farmers have called for a reintroduction of quotas on production or more direct aid from their governments to pay the bills.

Firm challenge: One riot police officer prepares themselves as the protestors move closer towards the fortifications in Brussels

Hosed down: Dressed in waterproof clothing, one daily farmers struggles to avoid the heavy torrents of water from the police

Flames: A burning caravan darkens the mood of the protests as dark smoke obscures the police's vision against the demonstrators

Farmers use a combine harvester to spray straw at police during a demonstration in front of the European Commission building

Completely covered: Police are sprayed with a hay machine during a farmers demonstration in Brussels

Belgian riot police officers stand guard while protesters push a hay ball towards them during this morning's angry demonstrations

This afternoon EU agriculture ministers will meet in an extraordinary session to assess the crisis and look for ways to help the farmers

Splattered: Organizers said some 6,000 farmers protested while 2,000 tractors were blocking traffic in and around Brussels

Farmers were complaining they basically now have to dump their produce on the market at a loss.

'The milk price is under or around 28 cents [per litre]. And this is not enough even to cover the costs,' said Heinz Thorwarth, who had come to Brussels from Fuchsstadt, in southern Germany.

Organizers said some 6,000 farmers protested while 2,000 tractors were blocking traffic in and around Brussels.

Making sure there would be sufficient food for Europeans was one of the key pillars on which the European Union was built half a century ago.

But a system of generous subsidies and market-shielding measures led to overproduction and an industry that found it tough to adapt to changing conditions.

Quotas to limit dairy production were abolished in April and extra production has caused prices to tumble. The farmers are also complaining about cheap imports from outside the EU.

Face-off: Angry farmers face Belgian riot police during a European farmers protest rally near the European institutions in Brussels

Riot officers stand guard as dairy farmers from all over Europe take part in a demonstration outside an EU farm ministers meeting

Hit: Riot officers use their shields to protect them from the eggs being thrown at them by angry dairy farmers

Smouldering: Belgian riot police officers stand guard while protesting dairy farmers push a burning hay ball towards them

Farmers spray straw at police using a combine harvester during a demonstration in front of the European Commission building today