Disgruntled farmers are blocking roads across France. Find out why

Farmers have been blocking roads across France for days, demanding the government take action to resolve various grievances from the sector. The executive branch has already announced measures, but farmers continue to protest because they believe the government has not gone far enough.

Among other measures, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal promised a tax exemption on agricultural diesel, a commitment to negotiate in Brussels to end the obligation to leave 4% of land fallow and an acceleration of payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (PAC). the main beneficiary of which is France, receiving 9 billion euros per year. The government official also promised that France would not ratify the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement.

The protests have led to traffic slowdowns, barricades of straw bales and agricultural waste in front of government offices, demonstrations that are multiplying across the country and the first major crisis for newly sworn-in Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. Disgruntled farmers are dumping goods on roads and even throwing manure at building facades in protest. France is the largest agricultural producer in the European Union and the protests by French farmers follow similar actions in other European countries such as Germany and Poland, with many protesters saying they are suffering from globalization and foreign competition.

These are some of the issues that motivated the protests.

WHY ARE FARMERS PROTESTING?

French farmers say they are underpaid and stifled by excessive environmental regulations.

Some of their concerns, such as competition from cheaper imports and environmental regulations, are shared by producers in the rest of the EU, while others, such as food price negotiations, are more specific to France.

EXPENSES

From a financial perspective, farmers say pressure from government and retailers to reduce inflation has left many producers unable to cover high costs of energy, fertilizer and transport.

IMPORT

Large imports from Ukraine and new talks on a trade deal between the EU and South American bloc Mercosur have fueled anger over unfair competition in the sugar, grain and meat sectors. The large imports are causing resentment because they put pressure on European prices and fail to meet environmental standards imposed on EU farmers.

WEDNESDAY

When it comes to the environment, farmers disagree with both EU subsidy rules and the requirement to leave 4% of farmland fallow.

Disputes over irrigation projects and criticism over animal welfare and agricultural pollution have fueled discontent among France’s aging farming population, which feels ignored by society.