French farmers Escalate Protests with Dramatic Demonstrations Over Livestock Restrictions
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Farmers across southwestern France have intensified their demonstrations, resorting to dumping agricultural waste at government offices to protest restrictions on cattle exports and broader concerns about the future of their livelihoods.
Frustration reached a boiling point this week as farmers in Périgueux, Bergerac, and Sarlat staged coordinated protests, fueled by a recent ministerial decision to close borders for cattle exports in an effort to combat lumpy skin disease (LSD). The actions represent a important escalation in ongoing tensions between the agricultural sector and the government.
Périgueux: A Symbolic Act of Defiance
In Périgueux, approximately fifty farmers, mobilized by the organization CR24, responded to a call to action by dumping the contents of several skips in front of the offices of the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DSV). Prior to this, the group gathered at the prefecture, displaying a banner proclaiming “Stop the massacre.”
“It was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” explained Thomas Parot,a goat breeder in Ribéracois and co-organizer of the Périgueux demonstration. “We already addressed the problem last year. A job had started, but everything stopped. Other countries have opted for mass vaccination of their farms. Here,nothing is done. What are we waiting for? That there are no more cows?”
The farmers’ attempt to be received by officials at the prefecture was unsuccessful. Marin Lasalle, the prefect’s chief of staff, released a statement indicating that the farmers had already been granted two lengthy meetings the previous week, each lasting “more than two hours.” Lasalle expressed regret that “the spirit of constructive dialog…did not continue this week.”
Rémi Dumaure,former head of CR24 and current president of the Departmental Chamber of Agriculture,dismissed the notion that the protests where a personal attack. “She must not take our action as a personal attack,” Dumaure stated. “Simply, it’s good that the data is coming back up, but now it has to go back down.”
Bergerac and Sarlat Join the Uprising
The protests weren’t limited to Périgueux. In Bergerac, around fifty farmers, accompanied by ten tractors and two skips filled with grape marc, similarly targeted the local sub-prefecture. Justin Losson, co-president of CR24, articulated the group’s concerns, stating, “We first denounce the total slaughters linked to the DNC and we ask to slaughter only animals with clinical signs of the disease.”
A local cattle breeder, identified only as Nicolas, expressed deep anxiety about the potential spread of the disease.”For the moment, [the dermatose] is not with us, but if it arrives, I lose all the livestock and it’s over,” he saeid, reflecting a widespread fear among farmers.
Further south,in Sarlat,four tractors were positioned in front of the sub-prefecture,adding to the growing wave of discontent.
Beyond Lumpy Skin Disease: A Multifaceted Crisis
The protests extend beyond the immediate issue of lumpy skin disease. Farmers in Bergerac also voiced concerns over the ongoing French wine crisis and the impact on wine growers, as well as restrictions on acetamiprid, a pesticide used by hazelnut producers to combat pests. This highlights a broader sense of economic vulnerability and frustration within the agricultural community.
The escalating protests signal a deepening crisis for French farmers, who feel increasingly unheard and unsupported by the government. The situation underscores the urgent need for dialogue and effective solutions to address the complex challenges facing the agricultural sector.
