one year later, why the mobilization of the agricultural world is making a comeback

AGRICULTURE – Anger is not back, it “ never left”. The words spoken by the president of the FNSEA Arnaud Rousseau, a month ago on the set of TF1already set the tone for an agricultural unrest destined to take on a new national scale. Even more so after the unprecedented mobilization of last winter and its contrasting results, to say the least.

For French farmers, a new point of no return has now been reached. And anger, tinged with exhaustion, once again serves as fuel in a tense context that is almost worse than last year. Reason why the picture drawn up by the unions and farmers already mobilized in France explains without great difficulty the resumption of the protest movement of an entire profession.

Dispersed mobilization

There is already a technical element which explains why the movement is only finding a second wind at the end of 2024: the constraints of the farming profession. Indeed, a certain number of agricultural professions must wait until this time of year, which is relatively less time-consuming, to take part in such mobilization.

The call for mobilization was therefore set for Monday, November 18 in front of the prefectures and on roundabouts, at the initiative of the majority union alliance FNSEA/JA. With better consideration of the constraints for the population. So no more blockades of major roads, the alliance advocates actions without violence and without a desire for blockages, unlike last winter.

The mobilization must also end in mid-December so as not to penalize the sector, which is very dependent on consumption during the end-of-year holidays. However, the idea would be to resume mobilization in January, if this proves necessary.

Other unions, such as the Peasant Confederation, will also be mobilized in their own way. “ We will be mobilized next week, but with our own modes of action », warned its spokesperson Laurence Marandola on Wednesday November 13. The discourse is more clear-cut on the side of Rural Coordination, whose actions have already begun. For the second agricultural union, they will be“magnitude” national from Tuesday, November 19, according to the confidences of the president of the union Véronique Le Floc’h to franceinfo.

The agreement with Mercosur, the ultimate fuse

If the free trade agreement between the European Union and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) and the promises – little or not kept – of the government already crystallize a good part of the motivations for a ” acts II », the year 2024 is far from having spared the agricultural sector. To AFP, Laurence Marandola points out a “ crisis that has never stopped » and who even “largely worsened due to climatic hazards”. And for good reason, the heavy rainfall this year has caused particularly poor harvests in recent months.

Between wine production falling by 23% in 2024 according to the Ministry of Agriculture, and the worst wheat harvest in 40 years in France, it is clearly not time to celebrate. Especially since French breeders are affected by another problem: epidemics of animal diseases. Bluetongue (BFT), avian flu or epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EMD) cause considerable losses in all sectors.

Added to this are more usual demands, such as a vast salary increase, measures to simplify the bureaucracy or the promotion of the profession among younger generations. Because despite emergency aid and a list of « 70 engagements » for the sectorthe executive’s promises are considered too slow in their implementation, or even invisible on the ground.

From now on, eyes are fixed on a possible signing of the free trade agreement with Mercosur, which could well serve as the final fuse to definitively ignite the profession.