Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu (formerly Agriculture Minister) schedules meetings with key farmers' unions starting January 5 amid persistent protests over DNC outbreaks, low prices, and EU-Mercosur threats. New measures include suspending South American imports with banned pesticides, though unions call them insufficient.
Building on December's push to accelerate DNC vaccinations with army veterinarians, French farmers remain mobilized against ongoing crises. Lecornu has arranged talks at Matignon: Jeunes agriculteurs (JA) on January 5 at 3 p.m., Coordination rurale (CR) at 6 p.m., FNSEA on January 6 at 5:30 p.m., and Confédération paysanne afterward.
In a Sunday open letter, Lecornu recognized farmers' 'deep injustice' and pledged a tougher EU stance, including stricter border controls. Alongside Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard, the government will decree a suspension of South American fruits and vegetables containing banned residues like mancozeb, glufosinate, thiophanate-methyl, and carbendazim—pending Brussels' approval and publication Tuesday.
DNC challenges continue: 74.7% of Southwest cattle herds vaccinated by January 4 (full immunity after 21 days), but three new Ariège outbreaks reported. Grain farmers face low wheat prices and high fertilizer costs, exacerbated by the looming EU-Mercosur deal (discussion January 12).
Unions unanimously oppose Mercosur but diverge on DNC: CR and Confédération paysanne seek vaccinating all 16 million cattle and halting full slaughters; FNSEA demands an 'exceptional agricultural law' for deregulation. CR47's José Pérez warned of Paris blockades by tractor if needed. Prefectural bans on convoys run until Thursday in regions like East, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, West, and Hauts-de-France.
