Anger of farmers: blocking of traffic and straw galore in the streets of Mende

Les tracteurs ont bloqué le centre-ville de Mende. MIDI LIBRE – Michel Pieyre

Around sixty farmers from the Lozère Rural Coordination gathered on Friday January 26, 2024 at the beginning of the afternoon in Mende, to demonstrate in the streets. Before placing the tractors in front of the Departmental Directorate of Territories where a delegation was received by Philippe Castanet, prefect of Lozère. 

At the start of the afternoon Friday January 26, 2024, around sixty farmers from the Rural Coordination gathered on the RN88 roundabout, at the entrance to Mende. Maria Baret, the coordinator of the movement, recalled the issues: "We are going to repeat to the prefect the requests made for a long time. Sensitive meadows are no. Wolves are no. The GNR is tax-free otherwise we can no longer work." A general fed-up visible on the faces of the land professionals present.& nbsp;

"The Coordination has been saying it since its creation: agriculture has no place in the free global market. Each country must be food self-sufficient, as far as possible. Farmers find themselves working for agro-industry, they are slaves to the sector", she railed. For her, the EGAlim law (for the balance of commercial relations in the agricultural sector, Editor's note) has not been applied in full, particularly on imports of products foreigners. 

A delegation received by the prefect

The convoy, around fifteen tractors and trailers, then set off to the Mendozère roundabout, causing the first traffic jams. Several machines blocked the access before another circled the basin several times to throw straw. Part of the convoy headed towards the city center, with a coffee break on Boulevard du Soubeyran, opposite the Café du Commerce. As a result, traffic on the boulevards was paralyzed for several minutes, under the watchful eye of the police (the demonstration was duly declared to the prefecture). "We need an overhaul of the system", said Maria Baret.

The prefect went out to meet the demonstrators

A little later, it was in front of the premises of the Departmental Territorial Directorate (DDT) that a delegation arrived. She was welcomed by the prefect, in the street: "I need to know what the Rural Coordination has as demands. We have meetings with ministers. You expect me to carry the message of sensitive meadows, I know it because I know it. But I must be informed of your priorities", he announced.

The state representative then took the delegation to the premises for nearly two hours of meeting. While the city remained blocked for a good part of the afternoon. At the exit, the prefect once again addressed the farmers, to take stock of the discussions (see insert). Which did not prevent the farmers from watering the facade of the DDT with straw, when breaking camp around 6 p.m.  

At the end of the meeting, the prefect responds

Philippe Castanet, prefect of Lozère, came out to talk to farmers. FREE MIDI – Michel Pieyre

Leaving the meeting, Maria Baret declared:"I regret that we have to use great means each time, to make ourselves heard. If we were listened to throughout the year, we would not have to come to this. But we were able to express ourselves without restraint".  It was then the prefect, Philippe Castanet, facing the farmers, who spoke . "I will scrupulously convey your demands to the Minister of Agriculture and the Prime Minister this evening. I will not water down what is asked", he said.  Then detailing the points claimed: 

Sensitive grasslands

The removal of the provision which prevents the turning of so-called sensitive meadows in the Natura 2000 zone in Lozère: "This represents 60,000 hectares. For my part, I had asked the minister again that we could, commune by commune, look at the plots that pose a problem and find compensation elsewhere."

Wetlands 

"The minister announced that the planned measure on wetlands would not be implemented. He considers it inappropriate. It would be at least thirty times less important (notably the restoration of 50,000 hectares of wetlands by 2026). In Lozère, there will be no zoning without the knowledge of farmers."

The wolf

The prefect considers note that there is no compatibility between the wolf and breeding: "We had to put in place a new wolf plan, to allow us to defend ourselves (…) Farmers will be able to have night vision glasses (…). I asked for a specific study on Mont Lozère so that breeders are less predated. (…) There were more attacks but fewer sheep killed in 2023. (…) We are authorized, in defensive shooting, to kill the wolves that kill, I do. ;I always said. In France, I am the prefect who talks about the wolf. The plan will be signed tomorrow by the ministers."

Finally, Philippe Castanet cited the interest rates on installation investments for young farmers: "The subject comes up from the departments so that the government takes this problem into account." Finally, controls on&nbsp ;standards: "The stacking of controls, we will make arrangements so that this does not happen." < /em> At the national level, the increase in the tax on non-road diesel (GNR) will be canceled, assured Gabriel Attal, Prime Minister, during his trip to Occitanie.