The grumbling, always and again. Opposed in particular to a free trade agreement with Latin American Mercosur countries, farmers are continuing their mobilization and intend to move up a gear. “Starting next week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we will be on the ground again with the Young Farmers (JA) to denounce the obstacles to agriculture“, declared Wednesday November 20 on franceinfo the president of the FNSEA Arnaud Rousseau.
He wishes Thus “put pressure“, particularly on national issues,”to denounce what is not acceptable, always with respect for property and people“. “In each department, those responsible for the JA and the FNSEA will target constraints or obstacles that they consider important. It could be representatives of the State, agencies, it is they who will decide,” said the president of the majority agricultural union.
Farmers obtained aid and simplification measures after last winter's crisis, but certain promises remained unanswered, notably the problem of a decent income. “We got a third, there are two thirds to go,” warned Arnaud Rousseau, taking the example of cash loans, that “not a farmer” didn't get. “All this must come to fruition in our farmyards,” he insisted. “What the farmer expects from us is that we are uncompromising about the results we are going to seek and this is the message we are sending to the government: there is no complacency, but there is there is also the need to obtain results quickly”, he emphasized. “We are people on the ground and what interests us is the solutions in our farmyards, it is not the publicity effects.”
Among the demands of the FNSEA, the defense of the use of acetamiprid, a neonicotinoid “used everywhere in Europe, except in France”, demanded by hazelnut and beet producers. “A real distortion of competition”, castigated Arnaud Rousseau. “When a pesticide is approved at European level, it must also be approved in France”, he said again. “Ecology is a concern for farmers, but on the other hand, putting us in dead ends, stopping production in France and importing it from elsewhere, does not move France forward”added Arnaud Rousseau.
The Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard denounced on France2 the “acts of degradation, blockage at the Spanish border“at the initiative of the Rural Coordination union, which were not”not acceptable“and risked starting the “sympathy” of the French towards the profession. According to the authorities, 30 actions were carried out during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, bringing together 1,930 farmers and 512 machines, without incident or arrest. The government will propose a debate in Parliament followed by a vote on the controversial trade agreement between the EU and Latin American Mercosur countries, contested in particular by farmers, Matignon announced on Tuesday.
Related News :