“More than anger, there is despair”: the Gard farmers’ unions ready to mobilize again

Agricultural unions are ready to mobilize again after the anger which spilled over last winter, particularly in Gard. The FDSEA and the Young Farmers of Gard are already announcing an action on Monday, November 18 in the evening, the “nice” operation.

David Sève (FDSEA du Gard)

Figure of last winter's agricultural protest on the A9 motorway near the Nîmes west interchange, the president of the FDSEA du Gard David Sève is ready to return to the field on Monday November 18 with, under his belt, the demands of his union: “At the national level, there are 120. I have identified fifteen very important ones among them. And I add to that the Mercosur agreements and the problem of Bluetongue. For us, it is a casus belli.”

David Sève is very concerned about the current state of mind of the department's operators. “Last winter, there was anger but this is despair and it is much more serious. We have a lot of doubts about the public word given. There are measures which do not require funding but just political will.” The Beaucaire arborist, who titled Monday evening's operation “nice”, wants to remind the public authorities of four demands on which he will not compromise.

He mentions the premiums for uprooting vines which must be tax-exempt for those who retire. “as dignified as possible. What's the point if they lose half the price”. David Sève highlights phytosanitary products whose use is increasingly restricted “without having substitute products. We are losing part of our harvests with the new parasites favored by climate change and global trade. I remind you that France has lost half of its cherry orchard in five years.”

The FDSEA of Gard wants the establishment of a commission to support the farmers most in difficulty with tax and banking measures. She wants a review of the new insurance system for agricultural disasters which endangers agricultural activity. So many issues that should be highlighted from November 18.

Romain Angelras (Young farmers of Gard)

President of the Young Farmers of Gard and winegrower in Costières de Nîmes, Romain Angelras likes to recall the slogan which will dictate agricultural actions this fall: “You don’t cash in until we cash in.” He himself is losing patience even if he advocates responsible demonstrations without excess.

However, he sees clearly that things are not moving or at least not fast enough compared to what was promised after the first crisis at the beginning of the year: “Since the crisis last winter, there have been many announcements that have not been made. Discontent is growing again. […] We are experiencing a crisis unprecedented in its scale. We don’t see a loss of support. There has been an explosion in expenses which put us in even more difficulty, particularly in terms of profitability. We really had a complicated year for treatments.”

Romain Angelras relies on the State to change the situation, wants there to also be recognition of the specificities of Gard with very diverse cultures depending on the sector, from the coast to the Cévennes. “The anger is enormous today. When we talk about action, the state is clearly targeted.”

Didier Doux (Rural Coordination of Gard)

At the head of the Gard Rural Coordination, Didier Doux, cereal grower in Les Angles, announces throughout France a mobilization of his union in front of the prefectures and sub-prefectures from Tuesday November 19. He denounces the products “who arrive from abroad and who do not come from the same agriculture as ours”that is to say without the same constraints. He recognizes that the mobilizations of last winter made it possible “the absence of a tax on non-road diesel. But apart from that, not much has changed since then. There are still so many standards, texts that make it difficult for us to life. We don't listen to the logic of farmers.” The famous peasant common sense.

Didier Doux is ready to mobilize again, aware of the great difficulties encountered by the wine sector: “For a couple of years, wine has been selling with great difficulty while many foreign wine products have been brought in. I can tell you that there are cellars on the verge of bankruptcy in the Gard with full vats. It’s particularly complicated for the Côtes-du-Rhône.”