update on union demands after Gabriel Attal’s announcements

While the Prime Minister announced a series of measures to appease the discontent of farmers, some of the blockages continue. A call for a blockade of Paris and Lyon was launched.

Still angry, the farmers continue to maintain the pressure. Despite Gabriel Attal’s announcements, the National Federation of Farmers’ Unions (FNSEA), the Young Farmers (JA) and the Peasant Confederation called on Friday to continue their mobilization. “What we need are decisions that we feel change the software”declared Arnaud Rousseau, speaking on Sunday January 28 from a dam installed on the A16 near Beauvais (Oise).

The president of the FNSEA also urged the government to “go much further” to meet the demands of the profession. “As long as these demands are not met, the mobilization will be total”, he warned. While farmers promise a “seat” from Paris and Lyon, Monday, franceinfo takes stock of the demands which continue to be made by the unions.

Increased support for farmers’ cash flow

Despite the cancellation of the increase in taxation on non-road diesel by the executive, some farmers consider that their cash flow is not sufficiently supported by the public authorities. The president of Rural Coordination, Véronique Le Floc’h, recalled Tuesday to franceinfo, after an interview in Matignon, that despite their working hours, farmers were no longer arriving “to cover their production costs”, and that the “financial distress today affected 40% of farms”.

Among the union’s main demands, the establishment of a blank year, with the postponement of repayments of loans taken out by farmers. A measure currently not adopted by the executive. “Since these announcements, it [Gabriel Attal] has not returned to the unions that we are. The Rural Coordination has not had contact with him, which is a sign of contempt.” deplored Véronique Le Floc’h, president of Coordination Rurale France on Sunday on CNews.

More advantageous taxation for young farmers

In a joint press release (PDF document) transmitted on Wednesday to the government, summarizing their demands, the FNSEA and the Young Farmers also indicated that they wanted “insist on tax/social measures linked to installation and transmission”. What works “in favor of the renewal of generations”according to them.

“It drives me crazy to hear that there are young farmers who have been waiting for their installation aid to be paid for a year, or even more”Gabriel Attal reacted to farmers on Sunday.

“We are going to speed up everything”he promised, adding that this acceleration also applied to European financial aid paid within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Relaxation of the use of pesticides

In the same document, the two main agricultural unions demand the abandonment of the Ecophyto plans, aimed at halving the use of pesticides by 2030. “We need to give you more room to maneuver” conceded Gabriel Attal on Sunday morning. “It is not normal that you are prevented from using certain products (…) but that neighboring countries use them and that [leurs produits arrivent] with us”.

“Additional” measures against unfair competition

Joining the criticisms expressed by several environmentalist and left-wing figures, the farmers finally criticize the government for not having made enough proposals to fight against foreign competition deemed unfair. “We have French production, and on the other hand, competition from other countries with food that is not produced with the same rules, far from the standards that are imposed on our agriculture”deplored Arnaud Gaillot, president of the Young Farmers, Monday on France 2, taking the example of the exemption from import duties on Ukrainian poultry in Europe.

“Ukraine does not have the same production rules as us (…) But en France, 50% of chickens consumed are not of French origin, and many come from Ukraine”, he illustrated. The FNSEA and the JA are thus demanding from the executive a “clear refusal of free trade agreements”.

“I know well that, through these first measures [annoncées vendredi], we have not yet responded to everything I have just mentioned and what constitutes the discomfort and unease of our farmers today. And I am determined to move forward, move forward resolutely, move forward quickly.”, reacted the Prime Minister on Sunday in La Riche (Indre-et-Loire). “I want us to clarify things and see what additional measures we can take on these stories of unfair competition.”he added during his trip, the second in three days.