Quebec farmers hold 'slow roll' tractor protest over increasing regulations, declining incomes
Inspired by recent farmers' protests against the European Union's climate policies, farmers in Rimouski took to the streets for a protest to raise awareness about the important role they play in society.
Several dozen tractors and trailers held a slow-roll protest in Rimouski on Friday afternoon, just days ahead of Quebec's 2024 budget announcement.
As Radio-Canada reports, hundreds of farmers from the Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie regions held the demonstration to raise awareness about the important role they play in society.
Speaking about the motivations behind the rally, Union of Agricultural Producers director and dairy farmer François Pigeon said the farmers wanted people to “see the impact of agriculture, that it's not just nice tractors, it's your plates that are filled every day.”
"NO FARMERS, NO FOOD."
— Alexandra Lavoie (@ThevoiceAlexa) March 8, 2024
In Rimouski, Quebec, farmers are rising. pic.twitter.com/10CrRRestJ
According to the French-language state broadcaster, the demonstration was organized by the union's local Bas-Saint-Laurent division.
With farmers protesting in several European countries, the union leader said the demonstration in Rimouski was inspired by those rallies across the Atlantic.
In Czechia, farmers dumped manure in front of government offices and clogged the streets of Prague with their tractors on Thursday, Reuters reports. Similar protests in Poland nearly boiled over, as some farmers trampled a European Union flag and burned a mock coffin with the word “farmer” written on it, reported The Associated Press via the LA Times.
🚨🇨🇿 Meanwhile in Czech Republic…
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) March 7, 2024
Czech Farmers are taking inspiration from the French & have taken to the streets in protest of EU & Government Climate Communism.
Here they are showing their politicians exactly what they think by fertilising Gov building with manure. pic.twitter.com/yu3COeUphA
Demonstrations have also occurred in Germany, and have been happening regularly in the Netherlands for the past several years.
“We don't want to make as much noise as in Europe, but we still want to have a visual impact. We want the other regions to follow suit, follow suit, and then do an event every week,” Pigeon told Radio-Canada.
#BREAKING: The French Farmers are finally rising up to Ottawa & its Carbon Tax and other attacks on the agriculture sector as protests break out in Rimouski, Quebec!
— govt.exe is corrupt (@govt_corrupt) March 8, 2024
If this goes nationwide, Justin Trudeau will have no choice but to call in sick with Covid until the next… pic.twitter.com/P5YKTscojt
“We are going there to support the Lower St. Lawrence, but at the end of the day, we all have the same fight, we are all in the same financial situation, and it is even worse in remote areas,” said Sylvain Arbour, president of the Union of Agricultural Producers.
The farmers say they are dismayed over the amount of paperwork and regulations required. “We have a price that is not fair for our products. We want to make the public aware of the need to ask our governments for agricultural policies,” Pigeon said.
Protesting French, Spanish farmers block border crossing
— Camus (@newstart_2024) March 8, 2024
French and Spanish farmers say they are giving the European Union until June 1 to scrap taxes on the gas, electricity and diesel used on their farms. They made their demands during a protest at the French-Spanish border… pic.twitter.com/4bNohFq0LS
The union's president, meanwhile, is worried about a decline in farmers' income.
“Usually, producers' net incomes are about 10%. In 2024, it was 4.5%. Then for 2024, Agriculture Canada's forecast is 0.44%,” Arbour told Radio-Canada. “This is no longer tenable.”
Both union leaders say they are concerned for the next generation of farmers.
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