After the angry movement of farmers in France last February, the announcements of the Minister of Agriculture at the time had calmed things down. In the meantime, there was a dissolution of the National Assembly, early legislative elections and a summer period without a government. Now that the Prime Minister has been appointed, farmers are waiting for “rapid action”.
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The signs in certain municipalities in the Alpilles are new, upside down, and this is not by chance. Since this week of September 30, municipalities in Bouches-du-Rhône such as Saint-Rémy de Provence, Maussane-les-Alpilles, Maillane, Eyragues, or even Baux-de-Provence feel dizzy again when reading the town entrance signs, since you have to read them backwards.
A mimicry of the action started in the fall of 2023 which foreshadowed blocking movements by angry farmers all over France. This week, in Tarn, where the operation began a year ago, panels were also turned upside down. This time, the farmers simply exchanged the signs of certain towns, as reported by our colleagues from France 3 Occitanie.
According to Romain Blanchard of FDSEA 13, “if we trace the history since November 2023 and January 2024, there have been a whole bunch of promises which today have been very partially implemented”. The farmers believe they have been patient. “There is a law which must been promulgated two years ago, and it has still not been done, while the situation is becoming critical in all sectors. Did you see the weather we had? In all sectors things are stuck, cereals, vines, fruits and vegetables, let’s not even talk about it, we need an urgent electroshock.” alerts Romain Blanchard who explains that anger is growing.
The Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, says she is listening to agricultural unions; she met this Wednesday, October 2, with representatives of the wine industry.
“We are waiting for answers to certain questions, we have had some answers, but we also want action, because there is an emergency“, repeats Romain Blanchard.
Bad weather, health crisis, Mercosur treaty, Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, met the minister on September 25 and expressed the urgency to act as well. “he gave him 15 days to make announcements, so for the moment, no mobilization, but we show that we remain vigilant, either, we start again with promises without actions, and we will start again with actions, or they are announcements with actions in the coming weeks and this means that the State has understood the extent of the problem and we will be able to work”, announces Romain Blanchard.
“With the bluetonguebreeders are in an alarming situation”, insists Romain Blanchard.
Bluetongue has been present in the PACA region since Thursday August 22, the date on which the prefecture of Hautes-Alpes launched an alert. Cases had been detected on sheep and cattle farms in the department. At least twelve farms had tested positive.Bluetongue manifests itself by fever, respiratory problems, a hanging tongue or even the loss of pregnant young and sometimes by the death of the animals. Its detection does not lead to the slaughter of animals, unlike avian flu. They are not transmissible to humans, but can weaken herds, be fatal to pregnant young and, in certain cases, lead to the death of animals.
“We are a livestock farming region, the herds will start to come down from the summer pastures and we will realize the extent of the damage. We will have to be reactive and vaccinate. Fortunately the Bouches-du-Rhône department has co- financed the purchase of vaccines, this is already a first response, we are waiting for the region to come forward too. In the Hautes-Alpes, we are in an area of surveillance and health security”, explains Romain Blanchard.
Another problem raised by the representative of FDSEA 13, “the CAP payments which were to take place on October 16, 2023, and some files of which are still not processed, a year later, this is unacceptable, this is why the movement could start again if rapid and concrete responses are not are not brought”.