The Young Farmers of Drôme want to maintain pressure on the government. This Monday, November 4, in the evening, four farmer members of the JA moved a radar which was located in Bourg-de-Péage. A tractor took him and dropped him off in front of the prefecture in Valencia. A symbolic action for “denounce the slowness” from the government, according to the president of the Young Farmers of Drôme, Vladimir Gauthier.
Around 10 p.m. this Monday evening, the four farmers removed the radar and also deployed black banners on the gates of the prefecturee. You can read there “Angry Young Farmers. Don’t go too fast Annie”in reference to the new Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard. “They are not in danger of being flashed at the speed at which they are going!“, jokes the president of the agricultural union to explain the symbolism of the radar. The object had already been tagged. It was not in working order. The Young Farmers assure that they did not want to break or damage anything.
1 year of mobilization
Farmers have been mobilizing for a year to express their anger. “We started returning the panels last November, since then they have not implemented more than 10% of our demands”deplore Vladimir Gauthier. According to him, most government promises after the demonstrations on the highways in Januaryhave not yet been held. “As long as it is not written in the law, they are only promises”adds the farmer.
Gabin Grulet
He takes the example of cash loans, reduction of charges or even negotiations on the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur (common market of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia) which the Young Farmers denounce. “In addition, the year 2024 was even worse than the year 2023assures the president of the JA de la Drôme, so we want to remind the government that we are still here and that it would be better to move faster”.
Stronger actions to come?
Alongside him, a farmer from Drôme adds: “We spent a week on the highways, we only got crumbs. We don’t know what to do anymore” . Several months after these demonstrations, he threatens to do it again, or even go further. “If we really have to break everything, burn everything, it’s a shame but nothing should be ruled out”declares the breeder.
The president of the Young Farmers of Drôme affirms that the union is considering actions in the coming weeks. Vladimir Gauthier specifies: “Today we put up two banners, we're nice, we don't break anything. But next time it might be different. We have to find something that stands out, that impacts the government”. But he also assures that he does not want “embarrass people”. While waiting for other actions, the Young Farmers left the radar in front of the gates this Monday evening of the prefecture.
Gabin Grulet
