Arnaud Rousseau, president of the first French agricultural union, the FNSEA, announced Monday on France Inter the launch throughout France of actions by farmers calling on the government to hear their “fed up” and their “anger”, before a meeting with the Prime Minister.
“I can tell you that from today and throughout the week and for as long as it is necessary, a certain number of actions will be carried out,” declared Arnaud Rousseau, while several blockages have already taken place in Occitanie. These actions will concern “each department”, he said, confirming that the “maybe” had been lifted regarding the FNSEA’s call to demonstrate. “To achieve our goals, violence is not an answer,” he added, in response to a question about several recent violent actions.
If the government is “not there” in the face of the anger of farmers, “we could be at the dawn of a big agricultural movement”, declared separately Monday morning Arnaud Gaillot, president of Young Farmers, Allies of the FNSEA.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, faced with his first crisis since his appointment on January 11, will receive at 6:00 p.m. the FNSEA and the Young Farmers, who denounce financial burdens and environmental standards considered too heavy. They are demanding in particular “the application of the Egalim law”, which must guarantee a fair price to farmers, financial compensation in the face of increasing environmental standards and international competition, detailed Arnaud Gaillot, dairy cow breeder, interviewed on France 2.
“A general fed up”
The agricultural bill, postponed several times, was again postponed by the responsible minister Marc Fesneau who announced on Sunday that it would be presented to the Council of Ministers in “a few weeks”. Since Thursday evening, several dozen operators have been blocking the A64 motorway, which links Toulouse to Bayonne, near Carbonne, in Haute-Garonne.
“Unfortunately, I’m afraid that if the government, once again, is not there […] It will call for others (blockages, Editor’s note), and it will spread like hell,” added Arnaud Gaillot, referring to a “general fed-up” and a “global malaise in the agricultural world”.
Jérôme Bayle, cattle breeder in Carbonne and initiator of the movement in the region, declared at the same time on RMC that he did not expect “any concrete measures this evening”. “We will not just leave on words, I say it and I repeat it: I want Mr. Attal to come to the Occitanie region with concrete measures and a big proof of support for the French agricultural world.” According to the South-West breeder, a fire was started early Monday at the blockage point by “people with bad intentions”, quickly extinguished and without “any damage”. “The aim is not to cause chaos in the country”, according to Arnaud Gaillot, who regrets being “in a country where if we don’t get there, it’s complicated to be listened to”.
“I don’t think we will be yellow vests. I think we could be at the dawn of a big agricultural movement if there is no response,” he added, referring to farmers from other European countries who carry out similar actions.