Anger of farmers: “our end will be your hunger…” mobilization in Rebourgil in South Aveyron

Farmers from South Aveyron joined the national protest movement this Saturday morning. Midi Libre – J.M.C

Les agriculteurs ont installés sept tracteurs et du matériel agricole le long de la D 999 à Rebourguil. Midi Libre – J.M.C

Around thirty farmers gathered this Saturday morning on the RD 999 in Rebourgil, in South Aveyron. At the same time, members of the Rural Coordination positioned a few tractors at the exit of the Aveyron area on the A75, saying: "the fight continues" . 

The thick fog of this Saturday morning did not discourage farmers from South Aveyron who joined the national protest movement. Coming from Belmont-sur-Rance, Combret-sur-Rance, Coupiac, Martrin, Mounès, Pousthomy, Saint-Sernin-sur-Rance and Vabres-l’Abbaye (in particular), they gathered at the crossroads of Saint -Pierre, in Rebourguil, along the D 999 departmental road. That is around thirty at the end of the morning.

In the grassy areas, farmers have installed seven tractors, a combine harvester, a slurry trailer and a straw bale trailer. Several black tarpaulins were hung to display slogans in paint: "Our end will be your hunger" or "As a child we dream of it, as an adult we die of it."

"Simply display our demands"

"We discussed it this Friday via a WhatsApp group because in South Aveyron there was no action," explains David Rouquier, dairy sheep breeder in Combret. "We are all in the sheepfolds at lambing and it is difficult to go very far. No union is represented here. There are only farmers in their own name. We decided to take action to show solidarity with farmers across France. Our goal is not to block traffic, but simply to display our demands." Everyone is there to defend their income: "They impose lots of standards on us. France imposes more than Europe! And in return we bring in foreign food products which do not meet all these standards."

Aveyron area on the A75: “the fight continues”

There were not very many of the yellow hats of the Rural Coordination. But, this Saturday morning, they insisted on parking a few tractors and a livestock truck at the exit of the Aveyron area on the A75. "We do not want to hinder traffic, simply demonstrate by our presence that the fight continues," summarizes Jean-Noël Verdier, president of the Rural Coordination of Aveyron. "The question of the price of GNR is a step forward. Like the question of controls which will come back under the orders of the Prefect. This is a very good thing. But, the rest is perlimpinpin powder… The roadblocks will last all next week. We, at Rural Coordination, condemn the violence. This Friday I fought in Rodez to keep the guys together." In its list of demands, the union points out "respect for article 44 of the EGAlim law"  and "the establishment of a blank year via the financial burden relief fund." 

 F.Mayet

Fabien Liquière, 39 years old, established for six years, outside the family context, as a dairy sheep breeder in Belmont-sur-Ranc, works with his wife. The couple have two children. "What shocks us is to see the disconnection of the government from the life of the average citizen. It’s not normal to buy a shopping trolley for 400 euros. We, on the other hand, are not paid. For six years, I have seen my expenses increase. Not the salary. I take 1,500 € net per month for more than 70 hours per week. And I'm a volunteer firefighter…."

The Prime Minister's announcements did not convince

The announcements made on Friday by the Prime Minister were not convincing. "They will supposedly make the procedures easier, but they will complicate them in another sense. For the GNR they went backwards. Three years ago, it was 55 euro cents; Excl. tax per liter. Today it is 1.05 € Excl. tax, double. This is a very big burden for us. The material took over 30%. For the parts, it’s the same. Food is 30% more. And the income does not follow. This is the only profession where we do not decide on the purchase price and sale price of our goods."

Jean-Philippe Sabathier, mayor of Combret, who came to support the farmers, recalls "the increases in costs and inputs for two years. Farmers especially suffer from unfair competition from third countries. We authorize the importation of products in production methods that are not authorized in France. Which is completely incomprehensible and unacceptable."

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