Frustrated producers have successfully organized politically in the Netherlands; should Canadian farmers follow suit?
Glacier FarmMedia – There’s palpable frustration on farms in Europe and it’s spilling from the countryside into political action — and success. The BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) in the Netherlands, also known as the Farmer-Citizen Movement, has in five years grown from grassroots to gaining the largest percentage of votes in the Netherlands provincial elections last spring. […] Read moreTag Archives farmer protest
Europe’s ag uprising seen as warning
European politics are notoriously intricate, and the recent EU elections highlighted a growing fatigue in the West toward urban-centric policies that impact agriculture. Following months of farmer protests across Europe, the Green Party, previously the fourth largest party, lost 19 seats and slipped to sixth position in the EU Parliament. This shift suggests that Europeans […] Read more
Farm economic aspect often ignored
The term “environmental sustainability” frequently lacks definition, though it is widely used by governments, media, retailers and environmental non-governmental organizations. We use the term in our research, where we demonstrate with evidence how environmental sustainability has changed, for better or worse. However, the term has been over-used and often lacks meaning or value. The term […] Read more
Polish farmers intensify protests against the EU
Rallies opposing European Union policies include placards saying ‘Green Deal equals death of Polish agriculture’
WARSAW (Reuters) — Polish farmers blocked roads with tractors and flares March 20 in escalating protests against European Union environmental regulations and cheap food imports from neighbouring Ukraine, which the bloc provisionally agreed to prolong. Placards depicted a farmer swinging from a gallows next to wind farms and an EU-emblazoned executioner with the words: “Green […] Read more
French Senate rejects Canada-EU trade deal
PARIS, France (Reuters) — A large majority of French senators have voted against the ratification of a free trade deal between the European Union and Canada in a closely watched ballot after farmers slammed liberal trade policies in weeks of protests. A majority of 211 senators opposed the ratification of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade […] Read more
Beef farmers focus of Spanish wildfire debate
OVIEDO, Spain (Reuters) — Farmers across Europe have jammed roads, burned tires and dumped manure in protest at a host of pressures threatening their livelihoods and way of life. In the province of Asturias, Spain, authorities are preparing for worse. Last spring, in an unprecedented conflagration there, nearly 300 wildfires leapt across motorways, forcing the […] Read more
EU nations demand farmer aid
BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) — European Union country leaders will urge the EU to work quickly on more measures to support farmers in response to months of protests by angry agriculture workers, draft conclusions for an EU leaders’ summit showed. The EU has already watered down some environmental policies in response to the sometimes violent protests, […] Read more
Indian farm protesters want more gov’t support
NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) — Thousands of Indian farmers gathered in New Delhi earlier this month to demand higher guaranteed prices for crops, intensifying a campaign launched a month ago. Here is a look at the controversy. Thousands of farmers from the northern state of Punjab launched a “Delhi Chalo” (Let’s go to Delhi) march […] Read more
France issues new ban on plant-based ‘meat’
PARIS (Reuters) — France issued a ban in late February on using terms like steak and ham for plant protein products, a second attempt by the government to regulate meat alternatives as it tries to mollify livestock producers at the heart of farmer protests. A growing market for plant-based protein products has riled a French […] Read more
Czech farmers dump manure on Prague streets
Producers take to the streets protesting against EU agricultural policies, grievances shared by farmers across Europe
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (Reuters) — Czech farmers dumped manure in front of the government’s office, blocked Prague streets with tractors and taunted the country’s farm minister earlier this month as they renewed protests demanding more help and a halt to cheap imports to the European Union. Farmers across the EU have taken to the streets […] Read more
