Farmers’ anger: Minister Marc Fenot announces delay of his bill by “several weeks”

The agriculture bill, which the government was due to introduce on Wednesday, has been delayed by “several weeks”. While farmers have been protesting for several days against the deterioration of their working conditions, Agriculture Minister Marc Fenot announced this Sunday that the presentation of the text will not take place.

“The bill was due to be introduced next week. To add some regulatory measures – there are still legal issues that need to be raised – let’s give ourselves a few weeks,” he said during the show “Grand Jury” RTL/Paris Première/M 6/Le Figaro, specifying that the target was to see text to be discussed in parliament “in the first half of 2024”.

On Saturday, new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal reiterated his support for legislation to help restart agricultural operations. We “need to remove barriers that prevent (young people) from settling down and make it easier to transmit,” he said.

Farmers’ anger

The mobilization of Occitan farmers continues on Sunday, with the A64 motorway remaining cut near Toulouse for the fourth day in a row and a filter dam to be installed on the national road in Ariège. In recent months, the latter have stepped up efforts to obtain emergency government assistance, especially in the face of rising fuel prices and cattle disease, as well as water policies favorable to irrigation.

In France, as in other European countries, farmers’ demonstrations have become more frequent in recent weeks. Increased fees, ban on pesticides approved in other countries, feeling overwhelmed by standards, competition from Ukrainian products, compensation for the health crisis… There are many reasons for anger.

Gabriel Attal showed his support for farmers on Saturday, courted by the National Rally months before the European elections. Agriculture is “an absolutely important topic (…) that I take very seriously,” the new head of government immediately confirmed during an exchange with the French organized in Saint-Laurent-d’Agny (Rhône). Calling agriculture an “opportunity” and “the pride” of France, he promised, in part, to “make life easier” for farmers by cutting bureaucratic red tape.

Almost at the same time, 600 km away, RN President Jordan Bardella, who is leading the list in the European elections on June 9, was with a dairy farmer in Queyrac (Gironde). He denounced “Macron’s Europe,” which he said wants “the death of our agriculture,” put in competition “with agricultural products coming from the ends of the world that do not comply with any of the increasingly tougher and more stringent standards.” .heavier than those imposed on French farmers.