There may be local demonstrations, but the FNSEA does not plan a national mobilization after the Agricultural Show, unless the government delays in implementing its commitments, the number 2 of the majority union.
Since the start of the crisis in January, the government has promised emergency aid, reductions in constraints, particularly environmental constraints, the strengthening of Egalim laws to protect farmers’ income and even placing agriculture at the rank of a “major general interest”.
Two days before the closing of the Agricultural Show, “the next step, for us, is to continue the work,” declared the secretary general of the FNSEA, Hervé Lapie.
“We are going to be rigorous, we are going to be uncompromising on the issues. We take them all one by one and we stop what is moving forward, what is not moving forward,” added the manager, referring to the implementation of a “slightly warlike working method” with the various ministries to obtain results.
The union, which notably organized blockades of roads around Paris at the height of the crisis, does not plan new demonstrations at the national level for the moment.
Local actions are however possible, for example to “put some pressure back” on the price of milk.
Friday morning, the competing union Rural Coordination organized a surprise action around the Arc de Triomphe.
“If we have to start again with union action because it’s blocking us, we will do it. But I think that our objective is not to take union action for the sake of taking union action, to be visible,” continued Mr. Lapie.
“Our concern is that farmers can do their work on their farms, be behind their animals, be on their tractor to be able to sow spring crops,” underlined the farmer from Marne.