Anger of farmers: will the new announcements be able to lift all the blockages across France ?

L’intervention de Gabriel Attal suivie par les agriculteurs sur l’A1. MAXPPP – Matthieu Mirville

The FNSEA and Young Farmers are calling for the blockades to be suspended, but to continue the fight.

Is this the beginning of the end of the crisis ? Emmanuel Macron advocated on Thursday the "return to calm" in France, ensuring that farmers' demands have been heard in Brussels, while agricultural unions are pressing the government to "transform the’test"  after a new round of announcements intended to defuse anger.

The FNSEA, the leading French agricultural union, and the Young Farmers' Union (JA) have called for "the suspension of blockades" which have paralyzed the country's roads for several days, while emphasizing that the fight continued.

The objective: "concrete implementation", by’ ;opening of the Agricultural Show on February 24, numerous promises made since last Friday by the executive.

Gabriel Attal and ministers Bruno Le Maire, Marc Fesneau and Christophe Béchu, in fact, multiplied the announcements on Thursday. 

The head of government also admitted "errors" of the executive in the face of peasant malaise, which has been brewing for a long time.

More than 400 million in aid since the start

"Have we responded to the discomfort ? Obviously not. Have we made mistakes ? Obviously yes", he said, before announcing his intention to enshrine it in law "agricultural and food sovereignty" of France.

The Prime Minister, in particular, promised to restore the "value" to the&rsquo food with clear legislation against synthetic meat, massive promotion of labeling on the origin of products and reinforced application of Egalim laws in collective catering – particularly on the objective of 20% organic products.

He promised to ban the importation into France of products treated with Thiacloprid, a banned pesticide.

A pause has also been decided in the implementation of the Ecophyto plan, the aim of which is to reduce the use of pesticides.

Minister Marc Fesneau expected in Occitanie

It was rather a time of relief on Thursday at the farmers' dam installed in the village. on the A9 near Nîmes, after the new announcements from the government. A dam which, however, was to remain in place until the end of the year. this Friday, demonstrators hoping for a visit from the Minister of Agriculture traveling in the region. During the day, & Lodève, farmers demonstrated their anger by blocking access to the city center with around fifty tractors. A delegation was sent to received at the prefecture. À Rodez, the FDSEA announcedé "break camp" installé on the Place d’Armes. Aveyron farmers remain mobilized against the price of milk.

The Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, announced for his part, in particular, an intensification of controls in mass distribution, particularly on the origin of products, < em>"with sanctions which could reach 10% of turnover" in the event of fraud.

Financially, 150 M€ will be allocated this year to breeders. The subject of pension calculation – with the controversial question of the 25 best years of contributions – will be reworked.

Tax measures will also be studied to facilitate transfers. Regarding the reimbursement of the tax on non-road diesel (GNR), a window is open.

Water: Carole Delga announces measures in Occitanie

The president of the Occitanie Region, Carole Delga, announced Thursday the mobilization of the two regional development companies in order to take measures aimed at reduce irrigation financial charges for more than 6,300 farmers and wine growers. The first is the mobilization of an envelope of 2 M€ by BRL. It will allow a 15% bill reduction on the amount of the water consumption charge from November 2023, the creation of a support fund of 500,000 € to support farmers most in difficulty, as well as a 50% discount on the subscription fee for irrigation contracts for young farmers for the five years following their installation. Another measure, a saving of 6 M€ on the purchase of electricity thanks to à the creation by the CACG of a purchasing group.

Speaking in Brussels at the end of a European summit hit by the agricultural crisis, Emmanuel Macron pleaded for an equivalent of the Egalim laws, supposed to guarantee a decent income for farmers , on a European scale. He promised a posture "intractable" facing the largest manufacturers and distributors.

The French president spoke in the morning with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in order to present the demands of French farmers – notably on the fallow obligation of 4% of fields and Ukrainian imports.

Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed, on this occasion, that France would continue to oppose the Mercosur treaty. He also advocated the establishment of a European force for the control of health standards.

The new assurances given to the peasant world and all the aid promised (400 million euros since the beginning, according to Bercy), were taken into account at the dams across France, where some farmers left camp on Thursday evening, when others decided to stay there.

“We need actions, concrete things”

Their reaction was expected. The FNSEA, the main French agricultural union and the Young Farmers welcomed "tangible progress" after the Prime Minister's announcements, but underlined that that "things (were) not up to par" and that the struggle was would continue in other forms. "We need actions, we need concrete things. Farmers don't just want words", summarized Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, during a press conference. Concerning sovereigntyé food, "we need that within two weeks, within the legislative framework, we can have the first elements of text . Afterwards, the text will follow its parliamentary life", added´ Arnaud Gaillot, president of the JA. "It has to be finished […] before June", date of the European elections ;ennes. A document detailing the announcements for the agricultural world was published. transmitted by the government to the FNSEA and JA unions, à their request, BFMTV learned. The Confederation Paysanne, the third largest agricultural organization in France, and the Rural Coordination have already taken action. announced that they continued the movement. Karine Duc, from Rural Coordination, also announced that she would file a complaint after her arrest at the police station. Rungis, denouncing a "roundup". The convoy of farmers leaving from Agen & ;agrave; destination of Rungis and part of which was é blocked by the gendarmes on the bridges of the Loire will leave again, towards the South-West, announced &agrav; l’AFP Jos&eac; Perez, co-president of Rural Coordination 47.