The agricultural crisis is still present in Hauts-de-France. On the night of Friday, November 8, 2024, around sixty farmers placed municipal signs in front of the Arras prefecture. The “punch” actions will rise to a crescendo, announce unions and farmers.
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“We obtained certain things last year, but there are still so many points on which we have not yet been heard. We want to go back there.”says Jean-Paul Dallene, farmer in Oppy (Pas-de-Calais), in Artois. Friday, November 8 in the evening, the farmer with around sixty colleagues placed dismantled municipal signs at the gates of the Arras prefecture.
Read also: Anger of farmers: dismantling of panels in Pas-de-Calais
Last September, Europe announced that it was putting an agricultural products trade agreement back on the table with the Mercosur countries in South America. One last straw, the Artois farmer mobilized again without hesitation: “Cwas important to show that last year's demands did not succeed.”
If things heat up in Artois for first actions, Jean-Paul Dallene wishes “rise to power.” Town signs turned over, roundabouts paralyzed, motorways blocked, farmers “angry” intend to carry out actions crescendo. “We are not going to attack directly with one of our most important weapons. We will actwithout violence or degradation. We must leave a good image of our profession.”
We will act without violence or degradation. We must leave a good image of our profession.
Jean-Paul Dallene, farmer in Artois
The farmer assures: “We were listened to, but not enough.” Faced with fallows which flourish in the fields to regenerate the soil, some farmers called for a reduction in the surface area of this type of area. “We obtained a deletion 4% of these spaces for next season”rejoices the cereal grower. If Jean-Paul Dallene and his colleagues can be satisfied with this progress, the European directives concerning the spreading of pesticides or insecticides would seriously disrupt the profession.
“This year, many potato plants are affected by the virus. Phytosanitary products, which Europe points out, could have protected the plant from this disease. On this point, we notice a lack of listening”comments the farmer.
The great anger of the profession: the Mercosur treaty. Three million tonnes of GMO corn, 99,0000 tonnes of meat cattle and 180,000 tonnes of sugar (the equivalent of the annual production of a European sugar factory), this is the list of South American products that this agreement between the EU and Mercosur provides for without customs duties.
A “injustice” for Guillaume Wullens, beet grower in Calais. “I see this agreement as unfair competition. I don’t think Europe will come out a winner”he explains.
Yes, yes President of the General Confederation of Beet Planters of Nord-Pas-de-Calais speaks about “unfair competition” at the global level, for him, it would be the same at the European level. “We are in the same team, but we don't have the means”he justifies himself. To criticize what he describes as“implausibilities”the farmer says to himself “motivated to mobilize again.”
Administrative burden, exhausting profession, farmers, like Jean-Christophe Rufin, vice-president of the FDSEA, for “awaken the state”wishes to raise awareness among citizens. “The goal is not to take anyone hostage with our mobilizations.” he maintains.
While unions such as Young Farmers or the FNSEA are calling for mobilization from mid-November, Annie Genevard says “to understand” the anger of farmers in an interview this Tuesday, November 12, 2024 on TF1.
