Farmers create chaos outside an EU summit and wrest some promises of relief
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Farmers create chaos outside an EU summit and wrest some promises of relief

Associated Press  

BRUSSELS — Farmers burned bales of hay, threw eggs and firecrackers at police — and wrested some promises of relief from European leaders on Thursday, the culmination of weeks of protests across the continent over excessive red tape and competition from cheap imports. Eager to reassure a key part of the electorate and end disruptions in several cities, leaders at a European Union summit in Brussels showered the farmers with compliments and compassion — if few concrete proposals. EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also promised Thursday to prepare by the end of the month new plans to cut reams of bureaucratic rules to make sure farmers can spend more time in their fields, not in their offices. “The priority for us should be implementing existing rules and regulations and not imposing new additional ones on farmers over the next couple of years,” said Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, adding to a chorus of soothing words from leaders on the subject.

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History of this topic

Europe's farming wealth gap widening
1 month ago

Europe's farming wealth gap widening

China Daily  

A protesting farmer walks past fires during a demonstration on Monday in Chalons-en-Champagne, in northeastern France, against the EU-Mercosur agreement. Analysis by the United Kingdom newspaper The Guardian showed that during the last 15 years, the wealth gap has doubled, at the same time as the number of small farms have fallen by a quarter, with a study by environmental …

Europe's farming wealth gap widening
1 month ago

Europe's farming wealth gap widening

China Daily  

A protesting farmer walks past fires during a demonstration on Monday in Chalons-en-Champagne, in northeastern France, against the EU-Mercosur agreement. Analysis by the United Kingdom newspaper The Guardian showed that during the last 15 years, the wealth gap has doubled, at the same time as the number of small farms have fallen by a quarter, with a study by environmental …

Tractors rumble in streets again ahead of EU polls. Farming is a big issue and the far right pounces
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Tractors rumble in streets again ahead of EU polls. Farming is a big issue and the far right pounces

Associated Press  

BEERSEL, Belgium — The far-right Flemish Interest party had set up the demonstration in the picture-pretty rolling fields south of Brussels, ahead of the four-day European Union election starting Thursday. In a final push on Tuesday, militant agricultural groups from more than a half dozen nations were converging on Brussels in a show of force that they hoped would sweep …

With blaring horns rumbling engines, farmers in tractors block Brussels to protest EU policies
8 months, 3 weeks ago

With blaring horns rumbling engines, farmers in tractors block Brussels to protest EU policies

Deccan Chronicle  

Brussels, Mar 26 Dozens of tractors on Tuesday sealed off streets close to European Union headquarters where the 27 EU agriculture ministers were planning to discuss the crisis in the sector that has led to months of protests across the bloc. With protests taking place from Finland to Greece, Poland, and Ireland, the farmers have already won a slew of …

Spraying manure and throwing beets, farmers in tractors again block Brussels to protest EU policies
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Spraying manure and throwing beets, farmers in tractors again block Brussels to protest EU policies

Associated Press  

BRUSSELS — Farmers threw beets, sprayed manure at police and set hay alight on Tuesday as hundreds of tractors again sealed off streets close to the European Union headquarters, where agriculture ministers sought to ease a crisis that has led to months of protests across the 27-member bloc. As the protests turned into violence again, police used tear gas and …

As the rumble of tractor protests grows, the EU offers more environmental concessions to farmers
9 months, 1 week ago

As the rumble of tractor protests grows, the EU offers more environmental concessions to farmers

Associated Press  

BRUSSELS — The European Union’s executive arm on Friday proposed weakening even more climate and environmental measures in the bloc’s latest set of concessions to farmers apparently bent on continuing disruptive tractor protests until the June EU elections. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen insisted that the EU’s overall climate goals remained intact, even though she stressed she would “continue …

Czech farmers block traffic in Prague in protest against the government and EU agriculture policies
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Czech farmers block traffic in Prague in protest against the government and EU agriculture policies

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Angry protests: Why are French farmers so powerful?
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Angry protests: Why are French farmers so powerful?

The Hindu  

Published : Feb 27, 2024 23:25 IST - 5 MINS READ The annual Paris International Agricultural Show is usually a platform for French politicians to show voters how down-to-earth they are. Structural reasons behind farmers’ power “The farmers’ political power is well enshrined at all levels—through the numerous agricultural chambers but also because many local politicians are farmers themselves,” said …

Angry farmers clash with police near the European Union's headquarters in a fresh show of force
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Angry farmers clash with police near the European Union's headquarters in a fresh show of force

The Hindu  

February 26, 2024 05:27 pm | Updated 05:28 pm IST - BRUSSELS Farmers clashed with police in Belgium on February 26, spraying officers with liquid manure and setting fire to piles of tires in a fresh show of force as European Union Agriculture Ministers met in search of ways to address their concerns. At the start of the month, a …

Protesting farmers jam Brussels with tractors and set fire to tyres as ministers meet
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Protesting farmers jam Brussels with tractors and set fire to tyres as ministers meet

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Farmers set fire to piles …

Farmers converge on European Union's headquarters in a fresh show of force
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Farmers converge on European Union's headquarters in a fresh show of force

Hindustan Times  

Concrete barriers and barbed wire surrounded the European Union’s headquarters on Monday as farmers angry at red tape and competition from cheap imports drove their tractors into Brussels in a fresh show of force as the bloc’s agriculture ministers met. Police carrying riot gear patrolled near barricades set up at the main entry points to the European Council building, where …

Protesting farmers spray Brussels police with liquid manure near EU’s base in a new display of power
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Protesting farmers spray Brussels police with liquid manure near EU’s base in a new display of power

Associated Press  

BRUSSELS — Farmers clashed with police in Belgium on Monday, spraying officers with liquid manure and throwing eggs and flares at them in a fresh show of force as the European Union’s agriculture ministers met in search of ways to address the protesters’ concerns. Smoke drifted through the air near where police in riot gear sheltered behind concrete barriers and …

Belgian farmers spray riot police – and EU – with manure
9 months, 4 weeks ago

Belgian farmers spray riot police – and EU – with manure

The Telegraph  

Elsewhere, the atmosphere was more serene. Marianne Streel, president of the Flemish federation of agriculture, yelled: “Free trade agreements, falling revenues and simpler Common Agricultural Policy.” “We’re here again in Brussels today as farmers because the European Union is not listening to our demands. Fugea, a group that represents smaller Belgian farmers, declared: “Europe does not seem to understand what …

Tractor protests threaten to drive the EU's green farming policies into a ditch
9 months, 4 weeks ago

Tractor protests threaten to drive the EU's green farming policies into a ditch

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “You should not respond to …

Tractor protests threaten to drive the EU’s green farming policies into a ditch
9 months, 4 weeks ago

Tractor protests threaten to drive the EU’s green farming policies into a ditch

Associated Press  

WESTROZEBEKE, Belgium — It was the puddles of green sludge left by the tires of massive tractors in western Belgium’s industrial farmlands that drew the attention of biological engineer Ineke Maes. “You should not respond to the issues of the day by simply scrapping very important rules that have been seriously discussed, considered, that have been included in environmental impact …

Angry French farmers with tractors are back on the streets of Paris for another protest
10 months ago

Angry French farmers with tractors are back on the streets of Paris for another protest

Associated Press  

PARIS — Angry farmers were back in Paris on their tractors in a new protest Friday demanding more government support and simpler regulations, on the eve of a major agricultural fair in the French capital. Government officials have held a series of meetings with farmers unions in recent weeks to discuss a new bill meant to defend France’s “agricultural sovereignty,” …

Farmers from 10 EU countries join forces — and tractors — to protest agricultural policies
10 months ago

Farmers from 10 EU countries join forces — and tractors — to protest agricultural policies

Hindustan Times  

PRAGUE — Czech farmers were driving their tractors and other vehicles to several border crossings on Thursday to meet their colleagues from neighboring countries and join forces in their protests against European Union agriculture policies, bureaucracy and overall conditions for their business. HT Image Farmers complain that the 27-nation EU’s environmental policies, such as the Green Deal, which calls for …

Farmers from 10 EU countries join forces — and tractors — to protest agricultural policies
10 months ago

Farmers from 10 EU countries join forces — and tractors — to protest agricultural policies

Associated Press  

PRAGUE — Czech farmers were driving their tractors and other vehicles to several border crossings on Thursday to meet their colleagues from neighboring countries and join forces in their protests against European Union agriculture policies, bureaucracy and overall conditions for their business. Farmers complain that the 27-nation EU’s environmental policies, such as the Green Deal, which calls for limits on …

Protesting Spanish farmers drive hundreds of tractors to Madrid
10 months ago

Protesting Spanish farmers drive hundreds of tractors to Madrid

The Hindu  

Convoys of tractors disrupted traffic around the Spanish capital on February 21 as farmers protesting against what they see as excessive red tape and insufficient state aid converged in downtown Madrid to march towards the Agriculture Ministry. As they waited for five columns of tractors to reach the gathering point at the central Independence Square, protesters wearing yellow vests waved …

Thousands of farmers advance on Madrid for a major tractor protest over EU policies
10 months ago

Thousands of farmers advance on Madrid for a major tractor protest over EU policies

Associated Press  

MADRID — Hundreds of farmers drove their tractors into central Madrid on Wednesday as part of ongoing protests against European Union and local farming policies and to demand measures to alleviate production cost hikes. Besides EU policies, Spanish farmers maintain that a law aimed at guaranteeing that wholesale major supermarket buyers pay fair prices for their goods isn’t being enforced …

Spanish farmers stage a 4th day of tractor protests over EU policies and competition
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Spanish farmers stage a 4th day of tractor protests over EU policies and competition

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thousands of Spanish farmers on …

Thousands of Spanish farmers stage a second day of tractor protests over EU policies and prices
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Thousands of Spanish farmers stage a second day of tractor protests over EU policies and prices

Associated Press  

MADRID — Mirroring protests across Europe, thousands of farmers in Spain staged a second day of tractor demonstrations on Wednesday across the country, blocking highways to demand changes in European Union farming policies and measures to combat production cost hikes and severe drought. State news agency Efe said that 1,000 tractors were heading slowly towards Barcelona’s city center, causing major …

Thousands of Spanish farmers stage a second day of tractor protests over EU policies and prices
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Thousands of Spanish farmers stage a second day of tractor protests over EU policies and prices

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Mirroring protests across Europe, thousands …

Europe is revolting… but not for the reason you might think
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Europe is revolting… but not for the reason you might think

The Independent  

There is something uniquely seductive about a town-vs-country clash. These manifestations of rural anger have combined with polls indicating growing support for what are loosely termed populist parties and politicians, and two sets of parliamentary elections late last year – in Slovakia and the Netherlands – where populist politicians came out on top, to suggest mounting political dissatisfaction in countries …

French farmers target Aldi and Lidl as protests spread across Europe: Tractors block retailer's distribution hubs over 'unfairly' low prices - as producers warn UK supermarkets face supply issues with
10 months, 3 weeks ago

French farmers target Aldi and Lidl as protests spread across Europe: Tractors block retailer's distribution hubs over 'unfairly' low prices - as producers warn UK supermarkets face supply issues with

Daily Mail  

Are YOU a farmer affected by this? French farmers targeted a Lidl distribution centre in south-eastern France by setting fire to rubbish outside Footage from the Lidl hub in the south of France showed mountains of rubbish dumped outside which was set alight As protests mounted across Europe, Belgian farmers also appeared to stage a demonstration in front of a …

Angry farmers laying siege to Paris say they're inspired by Jeremy Clarkson's Amazon farming show and 'everything he says in Clarkson's Farm is why we are here today'
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Angry farmers laying siege to Paris say they're inspired by Jeremy Clarkson's Amazon farming show and 'everything he says in Clarkson's Farm is why we are here today'

Daily Mail  

The angry farmers who are laying siege to Paris have said they are inspired by Jeremy Clarkson's Amazon farming show. The show, Clarkson's Farm, follows the former Top Gear presenter as he tries to navigate running a farm in the Cotswolds as 'Britain’s most unlikely farmer' French riot police prevented a tractor convoy blockading the largest fresh food market in …

Tractors on TikTok: Europe’s farmers send a loud pre-election message
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Tractors on TikTok: Europe’s farmers send a loud pre-election message

Al Jazeera  

Five months before the European Parliament elections, angry European Union farmers are honking to be heard. “We became Europe’s slaves”, said Ghiocel, 47, his cheeks rosy from the freezing late January temperatures, as he stroked the young animal. A clip of tractors blocking a road in Germany garnered more than seven million views on TikTok, and footage of French farmers …

Watch: French farmers on tractors block roads as protest approaches Paris
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Watch: French farmers on tractors block roads as protest approaches Paris

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Watch as farmers in France …

French farmers edge closer to Paris as protests ratchet up pressure on President Macron
10 months, 4 weeks ago

French farmers edge closer to Paris as protests ratchet up pressure on President Macron

Associated Press  

Snowballing protests by French farmers crept closer to Paris on Thursday, with tractors driving in convoys and blocking roads in many regions of the country to ratchet up pressure for government measures to protect the influential agricultural sector from foreign competition, red tape, rising costs and poverty-levels of pay for the worst-off producers. Traffic-snarling drive-slows, barricades of straw bales, stinky …

European farmers block French roads and head to Brussels to protest wages and bureaucratic meddling
10 months, 4 weeks ago

European farmers block French roads and head to Brussels to protest wages and bureaucratic meddling

Associated Press  

BRUSSELS — A surge in agricultural protests from the streets of Berlin to the flanks of the Pyrenees reached the European Union’s headquarters on Wednesday where farmers decried everything from petty bureaucratic meddling to the scourge of bankruptcy and worse. “We have the farmers’ common sense.” It’s a refrain heard across the 27-nation bloc, as farmers have to adapt to …

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