Anger of farmers: the Peasant Confederation makes its demands heard in Florac

La Confédération paysanne a organisé un barrage filtrant sur la RN106. Midi Libre – Célian Guignard

Ce lundi 29 janvier 2024, la Confédération paysanne a organisé un barrage filtrant de deux heures sur la RN106, au niveau de l'entrée nord de la sous-préfecture de la Lozère.Elle demande, en priorité, la sortie de tous les accords de libre-échange. 

The anger of farmers has been brewing for several days in France. In Lozère, all that was missing was the Peasant Confederation for all the unions to put forward their demands. It's done, since Monday January 29, 2024, since the Conf' organized a two-hour filter barrier, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., on the RN106, near the northern entrance to Florac.

Around fifty activists took part in this action. Midi Libre – Célian Guignard

"For an exit from all free trade agreements"

"We are for an exit from all free trade agreements, which require us to massively import products that do not  ;#39;have not benefited from the same environmental and social constraints, as well as for minimum entry prices, insists Julien Delagnes, l' one of the spokespersons for the Peasant Confederation in Lozère. For the latter, however, there is no question of a race to the bottom in terms of # 39;ecology. "The other unions are lower bidders, estimates the market gardener based in Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole. < em>We say better. Whether it is honey or vegetables, we do not produce as much as what is consumed. To respond immediately to demand, we must therefore import, but we must impose on other countries the same standards as ours. If they refuse, they can no longer sell in France."

"Opposed to a reduction in taxes on phytosanitary products"

If such measures were taken, the farmer is certain, there would be more installations and, mechanically, fewer imports: "We have an attractive profession. We no longer count young people aged 20, 25 or 30 who want to give up everything and get started. But access to land is very difficult. They find themselves working 80 or 90 hours a week for half the minimum wage and asking for RSA (Active Solidarity Income). CWhat we want is simply to live from our work, without public assistance."

On taxation, points of view also diverge. "Some of our colleagues repeat that we are bombarded with taxes. Okay, but you need some. They allow the orientation of agriculture. At the Confédération paysanne, we are, for example, opposed to the reduction in taxes on phytosanitary products, which are a lever to get out of it."

Traffic jams formed in both directions of traffic. Midi Libre – Célian Guignard

Support from other organizations

The Conf' also benefited from the support of other unions, as well as that of France Insoumise, all represented on the Floracois roundabout. "These are speculation and financial income which takes precedence and which means that agriculture cannot survive, expressed Guillaume Martin, the secretary general of the departmental union of the CGT. We also have agricultural workers, some of whom are members of our union, who suffer from social dumping."

Sandrine Descaves, member of the national office of the National Environmental Union (SNE-FSU), and Kisito Cendrier, co-secretary of the union section in Lozère, were also present. "We support the demands of the Confederation, which calls for a revision of the model for peasant and ecological agriculture, with dignified incomes and a moratorium on free trade. We We also understand that standards without support will not work and will only divide people. We also call not to attack personnel who work to protect the environment. And we are opposed to placing the French Biodiversity Office (OFB) under the supervision of the prefects, which would be a huge attack on this institution."

This first action of the Peasant Confederation, in Lozère, which brought together around fifty activists, ended as it began, peacefully.

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