Why are farmers protesting across the EU?

Maybe you have heard, but there have been some, ahem, farmer protests, in the EU. So, so, so many articles and stories about this, because let's be honest, farmers know that big tractors ?? and trucks ?? blocking iconic streets make for great TV and tiktoks.

But why? Well... it depends the issues are as varied as the countries that make up the EU. Here is an excellent table from "CarbonBrief: Food and Farming: How do the EU farmer protests relate to climate change?" by Orla Dwyer

General themes for the reasons:

What has been reported as opposition to trade deals such as the Mercosur deal, Canada free trade deal, or the New Zealand deal is more nuanced. It's opposition to the anti-competitiveness inherent in the agricultural chapters of those deals. That anti-competitiveness is tied to point #2...

Overregulation of the Ag production sector

Overregulation of the Ag production sector. Both from National capitals and also from the EU Parliament. These piles of regulations amount to overlaying jurisdictions and tangles of requirements—rules such as fallow land requirements and environmental setbacks. Also, land policies which make it hard to combine farms and gain efficiencies. In addition, the agricultural input sectors are more strictly regulated in the EU, which adds costs too.

Taken together farmers in Argentina, Canada, New Zealand, or Ukraine have much lower costs of production for many crops. Especially cereals and other commodities. The trade deals face tough choices, allow EU farmers to produce with fewer restrictions or try to impose more rules on partner trading countries, or offset the lower costs of products with higher import tariffs. (The higher tariffs undercut the entire purpose of the trade deals.)

Protesting farmers know there will never be less regulations in the EU. That river only flows one way. Better for them to try and convince their governments to not ratify the trade deals. A la Macron's recent and strong opposition to the EU-Mercosur deal.

Blame and discontent

Since the EU Green Deal began to gather shape in earnest after the 2019 elections, it gathered momentum within the halls of parliament. However, it was not well marketed to the people most impacted by climate change, Ag producers. Also, people who live in other areas of the countries outside the government capitals and commercial capitals.

So even though barely 1.5% of the EU population is directly involved in farming, a much larger percentage of the population is sympathetic to the demands of the rural lifestyle. Look no further than March of 2023 when the Dutch pro-farmer party swept to power with surprising results. These wins were partially a backlash against over regulations of the powerhouse Dutch farming sector.

People are also sensitive to the view that even as parliaments add more rules to control Ag production, farmers are still expected to produce food very cheaply. And of course grow things without using pesticides, fertilizer, or GM seeds.

Speaking of NGTs...

On February 7, the EU Parliament passed the proposed rule in favor of the EU Commission's proposal to introduce a new regulation for plants obtained with New Genetic Techniques. (Read about the rule in EU Newsletter #4)

Now the Parliamentary team, European Council team, and European Commission team are working together to create the final rule with a target for adoption in July. (Interestingly this is AFTER the white-hot EU Parliamentary elections taking place the first week of June.)

The debate over the patentability of new varieties promises to remain one of the most contested topics in the tri-party negotiations.

But, I remain hopeful this rule might become law this year.