Brussels must do more to help farmers make a living or face more tractor protests, the head of a major farmers’ association warned.
Speaking ahead of a demonstration in the EU capital on May 27, Kjartan Poulsen, the President of the European Milk Board (EMB), said agricultural workers were encouraged that European Union-level politicians had appeared to be taking their concerns seriously.
He went on to warn, though, that, while the latest Brussels protest would be a “friendly” affair, this would not be the case with future demonstrations should lawmakers not take their concerns seriously and act upon them.
Police use tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to disperse persistent farmers protesting outside the EU institutions in Brussels.#Bruxelles #AgriculteursEnColere #FarmerProtest2024 pic.twitter.com/rFxDvhGwO2
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) February 26, 2024
“Make no mistake,” Poulsen stated, “if we do not see any progress, then we might come back.”
He added that members of the EMB were “always ready” to hold demonstrations and that they were used to putting their views forward in a direct manner.
“They still have a lot of tractors,” he said, in apparent reference to previous protests in the city that shut off access to numerous parts of the European quarter.
Protesting farmers should target the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, not the bloc's Green Deal, says Euro MP @MetzTilly.
Access the full interview following this link 👉🏼 https://t.co/0H8bn1NE3j #europe #eu #policy #farmers #news #interview pic.twitter.com/3BeAHKDlem
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) March 27, 2024
Although Poulsen said he felt the need to warn EU politicians of what the consequences of ignoring farmers would be, he also insisted to journalists that the EMB’s recent dealings with lawmakers had been positive.
Responding to a question from Brussels Signal, he said he and his board had been in frequent contact with the bloc’s European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski.
“It is only a week ago since we had the last meeting with Commissioner Janusz,” Poulsen said, describing the Polish politician as being far more responsive to the EMB’s concerns than his predecessor, Phil Hogan of the European People’s Party.
The EMB is asking the EC to pass legislation banning the purchase of farm produce at prices lower than the cost of its production, a measure Poulsen said was necessary to secure the agricultural sector in the medium to long term.
He added that the EU did not need to hand out any more subsidies for farmers – except in areas where they are demanding changes be made to farming methods, such as under the Green Deal – arguing that a fairer distribution of profits was all that was currently needed.
The EMB head claimed lawmakers on both the Left and Right appeared to be coming around to his organisation’s point of view.
“I think Europe is leaving behind this ultra-Liberal thinking,” he said.
“We have had meetings throughout the [European] Parliament – and you can say it’s election time, so it’s easier to get support… from the Left to the right-wing … they can see something has to be done.”
He added that helping farmers was now seen as a “security question” within the bloc, and that their recent dealings with the EC in particular had been “very good”.
“It’s important to defend our region, defend our production, and to defend the work of our farmers!”
Naples wine producer Rossa Forno of @coldiretti tells our reporter @peter_caddle why she headed to Brussels for Monday’s farmers’ protest. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/R08vEgfB23
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) February 27, 2024
