EU Farmers Protest Green Policies’ Threat to Greenest Lands
1 day ago Guest Blogger 58 Comments
By Vijay Jayaraj
Europe’s picturesque landscapes, adorned with sprawling croplands and pastures, have long been part of the continent’s agrarian identity. However, a wave of farmer protests have intruded on this peaceful scene and extended into cities.
From the rolling hills of France to the windswept plains of Poland, farmers have driven their tractors onto the streets, united in a fight against a threat to their livelihoods. As I write this, thousands of French farmers are on the outskirts of Paris, blocking roads in an act that has been dubbed the “siege of Paris.” The city of Toulouse, home to 800,000 people, was cut off from the rest of France due to protests.
Likewise, in cities across Belgium, Poland, Romania, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Germany, farmers have blocked roads and conducted targeted protests at public buildings. Tractor convoys, road blockades, and impassioned speeches reflect the agricultural community’s deep frustration with attempts to reduce farmlands and ban fertilizer use.
The primary policy target of farmers is a so-called Farm to Fork program that seeks to halve pesticide use, reduce fertilizer use, cut by at least 10% agricultural areas and mandate a conversion of 25% of the European Union’s agricultural land to “organic-only” farming. The initiative also includes removal of subsidies for agricultural diesel used in tractors and machinery.
Farmers argue that all these policies jeopardize food security and undermine the rich agricultural heritage that has defined European societies for centuries.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/02/11/eu-farmers-protest-green-policies-threat-to-greenest-lands/
