“We will have to remain vigilant”: after the mobilizations, return to normal for farmers

Mélina Facchin // Photo credit: Europe 1 6:04 a.m., February 3, 2024

After participating in road blockades throughout France in recent weeks, most farmers have returned to their farms. The announcements by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday calmed, at least momentarily, the anger of agricultural unions. After the demonstrations and blockades, daily life is resuming on the farm, particularly in Duttlenheim, in Bas-Rhin, about twenty kilometers from Strasbourg.

"It was worth it"

A little administrative work in the morning, cleaning his henhouse in the afternoon: it's been back to normal for two days for Philippe Buchmann, producer of cabbage, beets, cereals and poultry. This 45-year-old farmer participated day and night in the two blockages of the A35 near Strasbourg, this week and last week. “It was worth it,” he assures.

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“I heard the Prime Minister's announcements, in particular that on the application of the Egalim law which concerns me a little more as I am essentially a producer of sauerkraut,” he continues. “I hope that they will carry out the checks that they have announced and that there will be enough agents on the ground.”

“But we remain on the alert”

Philippe Buchmann promises that he will now ensure that this measure and the others announced by the government are really applied. “We will have to remain vigilant on these points,” he confirms. And in the event of dissatisfaction, he does not rule out demonstrating again "perhaps in another way", warns this farmer.

“At the slightest misstep, everyone said they were ready to come back. We remain on the alert,” he concludes. Philippe Buchmann keeps his signs and protester flags in a corner of his warehouse. Just in case…