France’s Tractor Protesters Have Reason to Be Angry
- David Broder
As protesting farmers drive their tractors toward Paris, many in the media speak of a rural revolt. But not all farmers are on the same side, as ordinary producers complain of being crushed by unequal subsidies and factory farms who skirt environmental rules.
A demonstrator rides a tractor with a banner reading “France, do you still want us?” during a farmers’ protest in Lyon, on February 21, 2023. (Jeff Pachoud / AFP via Getty Images)
“We’re on our knees,” “Farmers in revolt,” “Everything’s upside-down,” “We want to feed people, not croak.” Last fall, these kinds of banners kept appearing across rural France, especially along the country’s main roads. But in recent days, farmers’ actions have intensified, with a call to blockade Paris starting on Friday.
The roots of farmers’ anger run deep: their inability to make ends meet, exasperation with bureaucracy, rejection of free-trade agreements, and sometimes opposition to environmental standards deemed overly restrictive. But while official agroindustry associations FNSEA (National Federation of Agricultural Holders’ Unions) and Jeunes Agriculteurs are trying to impose their direction on the movement, it seems to be escaping their grip. The protests are an opportunity to finally point out the hypocrisy of these associations, which purport to defend farmers by locking them into a failing model.
From Grievance to Revolt
Since last fall, farmers have rolled out their now-usual array of actions in small towns and villages around France: tractor processions, dumping manure in front of official buildings, “free shopping cart” actions, or throwing eggs at supermarkets accused of taking excessive profits. Yet national media gave these protests little coverage. While their interest was surely otherwise occupied, the fact that Paris was not affected by any demonstrations, coupled with a certain contempt for “yokels,” no doubt partly explains this lack of attention.
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