Ophélie Artaud / Photo credit: JULIEN WARNAND / BELGA MAG / BELGA VIA AFP 3:32 p.m., January 29, 2024

Farmers continue their mobilization this Monday, despite announcements from Prime Minister Gabriel Attal last Friday. Hundreds of tractors want to reach Paris and Rungis to block the capital. But what are they demanding? Europe 1 takes stock.

The mobilization of farmers should take a new turn this Monday. Since the start of the day, hundreds of tractors, from several departments throughout France, plan to surround Paris and the Rungis market. With one objective: to put pressure on the government to obtain new measures, three days after Gabriel Attal's announcements, considered insufficient by some of the demonstrators. In total, the FNSEA-Jeunes Agriculteurs unions formulated 140 measures which they transmitted to the government. Europe 1 takes stock of the main demands of farmers.

The demands of the FNSEA:

1. “Fairer” remuneration for all farmers

It is a demand common to all the demonstrators: to obtain better remuneration for their activity. While there are many disparities in farmers' income, depending in particular on the type of agricultural operation, 18% of agricultural households lived below the poverty line in 2021, according to INSEE.

2. “Absolute respect for Egalim laws”

If Gabriel Attal announced "very heavy" sanctions on Friday against companies that do not respect the Egalim laws, farmers continue to demand "absolute respect" for them. These laws aim to improve the remuneration of farmers, through the supervision of commercial negotiations between distributors and manufacturers. But their effectiveness is called into question and manufacturers are accused of not playing the game, which, consequently, deprives farmers of part of their income.

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3. Immediate payment of CAP aid and health and climate compensation

If the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) provides aid to farmers, demonstrators denounce the "administrative burden" it requires and the fact that since last year, direct payments of European aid have been conditional on the application of environmental standards. The FNSEA therefore requests immediate payment of this aid, “whatever the reasons for non-payment”.

The union is also demanding immediate payment of health and climate compensation, this time due by the State. This concerns, for example, farms whose animals are affected by epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD), tuberculosis, avian flu, etc. or whose premises have been exposed to flooding.

4. Aid for the sectors most in crisis

The FNSEA is calling for immediate aid to the sectors most in crisis: viticulture and organic agriculture. Winegrowers have indeed been affected in recent years by numerous difficulties, in particular climatic hazards such as drought or frost, but also economic difficulties, linked to the increase in energy or raw materials. Organic farms are also facing many difficulties, including a significant decline in sales linked to inflation. For this sector, Gabriel Arral announced that he would inject “50 million euros”.

5. Make breeding a national cause

The majority union also asks the government for measures for breeders, and wants breeding to be considered "a great national cause". 

6. Measurements on the water

Water management is at the center of farmers' concerns. If Gabriel Attal announced the repeal of the deadline for the creation of water reservoirs, the FNSEA wants to go further and requests in particular "the full and complete application of the Varenne de l'eau", the "implementation of a system more suited to droughts” or even “securing water withdrawals”.

7. Exit the Green Deal

The "Green Deal" (of which the CAP is part) of the European Union is also in the sights of farmers, who wish to exit it. This imposes different standards to preserve biodiversity and ensure food security, which many farmers find difficult to maintain.

8. An exemption on fallow land

This is precisely one of the environmental obligations included in the Green Pact: the fact of having to leave 4% of arable land fallow or in agroecological infrastructure (hedges, trees, groves, ponds, etc.). A standard which represents a loss of income for farmers. The FNSEA requests an exemption.

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The demands of the Peasant Confederation:

9. Ban all agricultural prices below cost prices

The Peasant Confederation has its own demands. On the question of farmers' remuneration, the union particularly wants "a dignified income for all farmers". For them, this would notably involve the establishment of a law prohibiting all agricultural prices below cost prices.

10. Leave the rules of free trade

The Peasant Confederation also wants an exit from free trade agreements and an end to the negotiations associated with them. Gabriel Attal has already affirmed on Friday France's refusal to sign the free trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur countries. Farmers consider this to be “unfair competition”.