After the strong mobilizations of January, the Lot agricultural unions ready to go back into battle

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Covering village signs, tagging automatic radars… Agricultural unions have been mobilizing for several weeks in the Lot. Other, more important actions will be announced in the days to come. After the strong mobilizations of January 2024, what is the state of mind of the agricultural world?

Strong mobilization of the agricultural world

The increase in extreme weather events, the surge in production costs and the commercial consequences of the war in Ukraine were the sparks for a strong mobilization of the agricultural world across Europe (France, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, etc.). ) a year ago. In France, the effects of Egalim lawssupposed to allow farmers to have a dignified income, were also at the center of the demands.

Lots farmers mobilized. We remember these images of manure and tires dumped in front of the Lot prefecture in Cahors on January 25, and these numerous signs of towns and villages turned over. Ten months later, what is the situation?

In the state in which

To the question of whether the situation of farmers has evolved in the right direction since the strong mobilizations at the start of the year and the measures announced by the government (particularly in terms of administrative simplification), the response is unanimous from the representatives of the Lotois agricultural unions.

Clément Rouquié, co-president of the JA (Young Farmers) of Lotbelieves that there has been “only wind, announcements, nothing concrete on the farms”. For Laurent Porte, president of Rural Coordination 46“not much” has changed in ten months. “None of the demands have been met. There was nothing or unimportant administrative tinkering” adds Christian Bousquet, president of MODEF 46.

The pressure is building

Anger is therefore still strong in the agricultural world at the start of winter. It may even have gone up a notch, given the very delicate financial situation of certain farmers and after a particularly difficult year 2024 for several sectors (cereals, vines, etc.).

Several unions have mobilized in recent weeks in the Lot.

On September 20, FDSEA and JA led an action in the town of Cahors. In recent days, the JA have covered up municipal entrance signs. The two unions plan to respond to the national call by mobilizing from November 15. “We are waiting for everyone to have finished working in the fields,” explains Clément Rouquié, who specifies that the two unions plan to meet in the coming days to decide what happens next. “It's not easy to say today what will happen, everything will depend on whether there are any announcements. There is a good chance that the mobilization will continue. We feel very strongly in our network this desire to mobilize. Last time there was hope. Today, farmers are resigned, they have nothing more to lose. » With the risk of seeing the movement harden even more. The co-president even mentions resignations within the Lot JA. “We are trying to temporize the most angry in our union. Some guys leave because they think we're not virulent enough. The FDSEA and the JA have always ensured that the demonstrations go well. Without a union, there will be no one to organize the demonstrations. Making stronger demonstrations, I'm not sure that's the solution. »

In recent days, Rural Coordination has carried out tarpaulin operations in several areas of the department. “We have started actions to cover radars in Saint-Michel-de-Loubéjou, Camboulit, Camburat, Gramat… We are going to install totems on roundabouts. We are not here to annoy the population and the people who work. But it will get harder. There will be fairly strong actions, not necessarily in the Lot department. There, we wait for the sowing to finish,” explains Laurent Porte.

“What is dramatic is that there are fewer and fewer of us. The fight risks ending for lack of fighters. At Modef, we are going to move as much as possible like at the start of the year. The crops are still in the fields. The farmers will take care of it before mobilizing,” explains Christian Bousquet.

Income at the center of mobilization

“Remuneration is at the center. What interests us are concrete actions. The main measure to take immediately is to total relief of property tax on unbuilt properties. This has already been done in Lot-et-Garonne and Dordogne. We must save breeding. We must reduce taxes on cereal crops and meadows. This can represent 10,000 to 15,000 euros on certain farms. It’s completely achievable straight away,” explains Laurent Porte, who adds: “There is terrible poverty in the countryside. People are in increasingly dramatic situations. Farms that were doing well no longer have cash flow. At the union level, we are called upon, we are at the farmers’ bedside.”

The representative of Rural Coordination 46 also regrets that the department has not positioned itself on quality production, an additional source of income for farmers in a logic of diversification of production. “The Lot department has not developed quality sectors, such as hazelnuts, kiwis, tobacco or strawberries, which have completely disappeared in the Lot. There was no enthusiasm at the political level, the Chamber did not do its job. We were unable to develop these productions which could have provided additional income. »

» The problem is the question of income. The average income of a farmer in Occitanie is 6,000 euros per year. Often guys have 3 or 4 times more bonuses. The term bonus is not fair, it is compensation for a drop in prices. We told the farmers: “We must lower prices, we will compensate”. Due to lack of income, when they don't have the money to buy seeds for example, the guys have their bonuses advanced by the banks. The premiums are then transferred to the bank,” explains Christian Bousquet.

For their part, FDSEA and JA are calling for direct aid to farm cash flow, the rapid implementation of the vine grubbing plan and the improvement of working conditions.

The end of farmers?

Representatives of Lot unions are saddened by the declining number of farmers. Every year, one in three farmers in Occitanie abandons their profession without being replaced and un farmer in five lives below the poverty line¹. Difficult to convince young people to settle down…

“To see our regions dying like this, it breaks my heart. The countryside is emptying of farmers, who are the economic lifeblood of the territory, who maintain the landscapes… We are essential to tourism. When we see these farmers' markets which make all visitors fantasize, if there is no more agriculture in the Lot… Dairy production in the Lot will collapse. In 2000, there were 1,500 dairy producers in the department, there are fewer than 150 today. CantAveyLot is an example of a small cooperative that plays its role,” explains Laurent Porte, who believes that “we are still lucky in the Lot. In Limousin, in the center of France, it’s a disaster, it’s dead.”

Christian Bousquet takes the example of his canton, Castelnau-Montratier. “It’s the end of the peasants. In the canton of Castelnau-Montratier, from 250 farmers, we increased to 130 15 years ago. There are 35-40 today. It was announced in 2023 that 50% of farmers would retire in 5 years. Many prefer to stop 2 or 3 years before retirement. They sell their livestock, their assets… and continue to pay the expenses to receive a full retirement. »

In a joint press release, the FDSEA and the JA du Lot specify: “Faced with multiple crises – economic, climatic, social and health – agricultural operations, already weakened, are disappearing” . Clément Rouquié goes in this direction. “The risk is to see French agriculture disappear in the next ten years. If Mercosur² is signed, French beef will have big problems to worry about. We had a lot of hope from the meeting with the Minister of Agriculture on October 17 in Perpignan. She told us: I am here to listen to you. But people have been listening to us for 40 years! » The sheep breeder based in Durbans takes the example of the vaccine for bluetongue (BFT). “We were told: vaccination is free. But there is no stock. They knew it very well. This is the kind of announcement that annoys the agricultural world. »

Before carrying out large-scale actions to make their voices heard, Lotois farmers are taking advantage of the mild weather in recent days to finish work in the fields. Then it will be time to take action.

¹Source: La Défense Paysanne du Lot

²Trade agreement between the European Union and five South American countries currently under negotiation

NB: impossible to contact the FDSEA and La Confédération Paysanne du Lot despite several calls

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