Charles Luylier (correspondent in Occitanie) / Photo credit: PATRICK BATARD / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 08:45 a.m., March 18, 2024

Claiming the aid promised by Gabriel Attal and protesting against controls deemed abusive on farms is the aim of a mobilization of farmers this Monday morning in Occitanie.

More than a month after the government's announcements, they remain suffocated by administration and sometimes heavy debts.

REPORTING

Are we heading towards Act II of agricultural demonstrations?

The Young Farmers' Union launched a call for mobilization this Monday, March 18, in front of the premises of the Services and Payments Agency.

Coming from all over Occitania, farmers plan to demand the aid promised by Gabriel Attal a month ago and protest against farm controls to show their anger.

They also plan to draw red lines in front of their farm.

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“It doesn’t stop from spring to winter”

In several villages in Haute-Garonne, the panels are still turned over.

But what's new here are these red lines that flourish in front of the farms.

“This red line is there just to say that the farms are our home,” explains Nicolas, a cereal grower.

The operator says he is harassed by agents of all kinds.

This spray-painted line is therefore there to tell them that they are no longer welcome.

“There is the department, the labor inspectorate and then the state agents. When they come, it’s a bit like the police for us so it doesn’t stop from spring to winter,” laments -he.

“All these people who don’t want to understand anything, who are in their own world… All these constraints, these taxes, taxes on water, it doesn’t stop!”, annoys Éric, a neighboring winegrower.

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Taxes and controls which, according to Eric, are directly responsible for his debts.

Its red line is therefore there to warn of its cash flow problems.

“And the debts are 150,000 euros… I won’t commit suicide, I promised myself that,” he confides, a sob in his voice.

A distress that goes far beyond a simple line drawn on the ground.

If the government's promises do not translate into practice, its farmers are considering moving up a gear again.