French Farmers Prepare for Renewed Protests in Toulouse Amidst Ongoing Road Blockades
A fresh wave of agricultural demonstrations is anticipated in Toulouse on Wednesday, January 14, as farmers continue to voice their discontent over government policies, particularly concerning the handling of the nodular dermatitis outbreak.
Toulouse and the surrounding regions are bracing for further disruption as agricultural unions mobilize, just one week after previous actions resulted in 17 arrests. Road blockades remain in effect across the Midi-Toulousain area, with a significant incident involving a fire on the A64 motorway overnight.
Escalating Tensions and Union Calls for Action
Several convoys of agricultural vehicles positioned themselves around the “pink city” on January 7, leading to the aforementioned arrests. Now, the inter-union – comprising the FDSEA, JA, CR, and Confédération paysanne – is urging all farmers to converge on Toulouse Wednesday morning. “We invite all farmers to join us,” stated Luc Mesbah, a cereal farmer in Longages and secretary general of the FDSEA in Haute-Garonne, in a message to ICI Occitanie, confirming information initially reported by Actu.
The core of the farmers’ grievances centers on the state’s management of nodular dermatitis, a highly contagious disease affecting cattle. While Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard recently indicated a potential shift in the protocol for the total slaughter of infected herds – contingent on achieving “collective immunity” through vaccination and a favorable “scientific opinion” – farmers remain skeptical. The minister also announced a doubling of the indemnity fund for nodular dermatitis to €22 million, a move seen by some as insufficient.
Widespread Road Disruptions and Vandalism
As of Monday morning, numerous routes remain impassable:
- A64: The blockade on the Toulouse-Bayonne motorway persists near Carbonne (Haute-Garonne). The A64 is closed in the direction of Bayonne between Mauzac and Carbonne. Approximately 50 bales of straw were deliberately set ablaze around 2:00 AM Sunday night, though fortunately, no injuries were reported.
- RN124: This route remains blocked between Auch and Aubiet (Gers) due to debris dumped by protesting farmers. Additional waste was reportedly deposited near Samatan, at the exit towards L’Isle-Jourdain, according to Philippe Dupouy, president of the Gers Department, during an interview with ICI Occitanie.
- RN20: The Foix tunnel is currently blocked, as reported by Bison futé.
- A62: A demonstration began Monday at 5:00 AM at interchange 9 near Castelsarrasin (Tarn-et-Garonne), with entrances and exits closed.
- RD820: Since 6:00 AM, a roundabout at the intersection with RD50 near Campsas (Tarn-et-Garonne) has been affected by pedestrian presence and blockades. Waste has also been dumped near the Montbartier logistics zone along RD820, causing potential delays.
Adding to the escalating tensions, the prefect of Tarn-et-Garonne, Vincent Roberti, has filed a complaint regarding acts of vandalism committed at the Castelsarrasin sub-prefecture and the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA), which remains closed Monday.
The situation remains fluid, and further updates will be provided as they become available. The renewed mobilization on Wednesday promises to be a critical moment in the ongoing dispute between French farmers and the government.
