2024-11-20 21:14:00
Vwill come? Won’t come? Or ? What time? Rumors about the arrival in Gironde of members of the Rural Coordination (CR) of Lot-et-Garonne, renowned for their activism, occupied a good part of the day on Wednesday, November 20. In the end, they went to block the entrances to the Port of Bordeaux, but without their Girondin counterparts, who remained in Beychac-et-Caillau.
The yellow caps of the “47” swallowed asphalt for a good part of the day to reach the regional capital. Having left Agen in the middle of the morning, at an average of 30 km/h along the departmental roads, they besieged their objective that evening: the Port of Bordeaux, therefore, based in Bassens, where they chose to occupy two large main roundabouts, for at least the night or even one or more additional day(s). “We would prefer to sleep at home, eh”, specifies Aurélie Armand, director of the CR in Lot-et-Garonne.
The CR 47 convoy headed towards the Port of Bordeaux.
GUILLAUME BONNAUD / SO
“Unfair competition”
Around fifty tractors, and four times as many farmers in total, made the eight-hour journey, collecting quite a few honks of encouragement, particularly in this Entre-deux-Mers where the vines are being uprooted by the thousands. ‘hectares. The choice of the port enclosure was decided at the beginning of the month, as well as most of the other major sites targeted since the beginning of the week in France: purchasing centers and ports to give an idea of what “our country could be if the producers were no longer there,” says the manager. The port illustrates this “unfair competition” with “these imports of products from foreign countries which do not impose the same standards as us”.
Not far from a crackling fire of pallets, a 60-year-old farmer is calling for protectionism. “We need a Trump,” says the farmer based on the border between Lot-et-Garonne and Dordogne. “But there aren’t any in Paris… We should close the borders, live off what we produce and only buy what we really need abroad. »
Farmers dumped slurry in front of the Port of Bordeaux, in Bassens.
GUILLAUME BONNAUD / SO
On the CR 33 side, the decision was taken on the evening of Monday 18 to block access to Scaso, the central purchasing office for Leclerc stores, in Beychac-et-Caillau. “It is a strategic site, which supplies a large part of the stores in the South-West,” explains Jean-Paul Ayres, spokesperson for the agricultural union in Gironde. “The prices that Leclerc gives us have not changed since February despite inflation. But at the same time, for the consumer, it is always more expensive. »
“We see that we are supported”
Arriving on the evening of Tuesday 19, a group of farmers spent the night there, following the meeting with the prefect Étienne Guyot and a waste deposit in front of the Pessac town hall. This hard core was joined, during the day on Wednesday, by other members of the union to reach forty occupants. The motivation was firm, contrasting with the FNSEA’s decision not to organize any actions until the following week, but the atmosphere remained good-natured.
“People understand that if we are no longer here, they will only have shit on their plates”
Even if the concern about the future was palpable, the exchanges with the representatives of the police and the gendarmerie were cordial. We warmed up around three braziers. We shared snacks and wines from a cooperative cellar to which several demonstrators belong. And not ten minutes went by without a honk of encouragement coming from the vehicles driving on the Bordeaux-Libourne road, right next door. “We see that we are supported,” rejoices Sébastien de Girardi, winegrower near Saint-Ferme. “People understand that if we are no longer here, they will only have shit on their plates. »
As for a junction with the Lot-et-Garonnais, the hypothesis lingered throughout the afternoon, and with it, the question of knowing whether they would join them in front of the Scaso site, in front of the other site of the purchasing center in Cestas, or in front of the Auchan and Simply Market supply platform, still in Beychac-et-Caillau. Uncertainties linked to traffic, but also to a set of rumors, true or false, skillfully maintained by the agricultural union to carry out actions by bypassing the police.
At the start of the evening, an intervention in front of the Auchan and Simply Market platform was still planned, despite the presence of four gendarmerie vehicles which were instructed not to let the farmers pass. A second night in front of Scaso also began, also blocking the vehicles of a neighboring transporter, which the Rural Coordination suspects of working for the Leclerc stores. “We’re going to stay there for several more days. We’re not about to give up. »
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How can local agriculture be better supported to ensure food security amid rising costs and competition from imports?
The food supply chain will be severely impacted,” stated one farmer, emphasizing the critical role that local agriculture plays in ensuring food security. This sentiment resonates particularly strong among the protesting farmers, who argue that their livelihoods are at stake amid rising costs and competitive pressures from imports.
The movement has gained traction not only among farmers but also among consumers who are beginning to recognize the importance of supporting local agriculture. Many are starting to question the ethics of sourcing food products produced under less stringent regulations abroad, particularly when they see the deteriorating conditions faced by local farmers.
As farmers continued their protests at strategic locations, including distribution centers like Scaso and major ports, they showcased their concerns through various means—including dumping slurry and staging orderly demonstrations. Their goal is to underscore the hardships they face while reinforcing public awareness of their plight, thus advocating for policy changes that could level the playing field.
Moreover, the protests reflect a broader dissatisfaction within the agricultural community regarding government policies that they feel favor large corporations over local producers. Farmers are calling for more protective measures, including stricter regulations on imports to ensure that foreign products meet the same standards as those produced domestically.
The ongoing demonstrations signal not just frustration but also a determination to reclaim their rights and livelihoods. There’s a growing hope that their efforts will lead to tangible changes in the agricultural policies and, ultimately, a more equitable system that values the contributions of local producers.
