Several hundred French and German tractors blocked the Europe Bridge, which connects the city of Strasbourg to Germany, on Monday. Above the Rhine, representatives of French and German agricultural unions joined in a symbolic embrace to the sound of horns. “Always together”assured, all smiles, the German farmers to their French colleagues with an enthusiastic handshake. After dark, the bridge was still closed to traffic.
“When I started my career in 1990, the use of growth hormones in fattening meat production in France was banned”recalls Gérard Lorber, secretary general of the FDSEA of Bas-Rhin. “Throughout my career, I have followed these rules, but in the Mercosur countries with which they want to put us in competition, they continue to use these hormones”he denounces.
For the departmental union, the mobilization has a bitter taste, after the demonstrations at the beginning of the year. “During our national mobilization, we said to ourselves that the European Union had understood that it had to protect its farmers, and we realize that today, finally, agriculture is on the altar of sacrifice »deplores Yohann Lecoustey, director of the FDSEA of Bas-Rhin. “It is madness to delegate subjects as fundamental as food to third countries”he is indignant.
After an hour of back and forth on the bridge, the French and German farmers gathered around a fire on the French side. “It seemed logical to us to fight alongside French farmers, since our objectives are the same”underlines Horst Körkel, representative of the German agricultural union BLHV, to Agence France-Presse.
“We are subject to the same regulations and are all afraid for the future, so it was obvious to bring our voices together, hoping that this will give more echo to our demands”he adds. “We hope that the European Parliament will reflect and establish fair production rules for us vis-à-vis Latin America”supports Alexander Heitz, 31, representative of the German agricultural association of Baden. “As it stands, the treaty is unfair and risks putting us in danger as producers”is alarmed by this cattle producer based in Kehl, just opposite Strasbourg.
