IN PICTURES. Farmers display nearly 200 signs from Hautes-Pyrénées municipalities at the prefecture gates

On the gates of the Hautes-Pyrénées prefecture, the work of the department's farmers has something artistic. However, faced with the proliferation of municipal signs clinging to the gates of the State House, it is indeed peasant anger that is manifesting itself, at the call of the Young Farmers and the FDSEA. A few days after CR65 took action, the two unions responded with this symbolic demonstration: “The signs are moving”. The opportunity for the collectives to question themselves: “Do we really want agriculture to move from our territory? It’s unthinkable” assure the FDSEA and the JA.

Also, the unions whose representatives were received in the prefecture by the chief of staff and the general secretary of the prefecture as well as the head of the DDT, recalled their demands: the simplification of administrative standards and constraints (including in particular the removal of the establishment of plant cover this year, taking into account the weather which delays the harvest), means to allow farms to continue to produce, against a backdrop of FCO and MHE poorly taken into account by the state, the question water between the creation of resources and the preservation of extractable volumes, but also the valorization of products to guarantee income and a dignified retirement for the elderly. The unions are also demanding a total halt to negotiations on Mercosur, the trade treaty with South America.

Among the few hundred farmers present, many were already fighting on the roundabouts at the start of the year. Like Anna, cattle breeder, from the Angus, in Sassis, in Pays Toy. “We always have the same problems, the income that is not there, the promises that are not kept,” explains the woman who takes a certain pleasure in distributing and coordinating the collective work on the grids. At the start of the year, we had this peaceful and intelligent movement But it did not succeed. The costs have doubled or even tripled for some. Diesel, fodder, food, all the big groups are passing on the increases. , all put together, that's €300 more on a single animal But I can't apply this increase to the customers. Even if they are united, I see that their meat budget is tending to decrease, that some. families who used to take 10 kg parcels now make do with 5 kg.”

And Anna points out: “We produce quality. And besides that, we have unfair competition from supermarkets. When we impose drastic or even meaningless rules, we import from the sea… This is not the case. “is neither tolerable nor coherent for an agricultural and gastronomic power like France.” A deep malaise which could increase in the coming weeks.