A farmers’ strike has started in Italy. Farmers are taking to the streets and demanding changes not only in national agricultural policy, but also in EU regulations.
The strikes spreading across Europe also affected Italy. Italian Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida met with the protesters and assured them that Giorgia Meloni’s government was aware of their demands.
The tractors that have been placed on yards all over Europe are the result of problems with the current European Commission. From this point of view, the (Ursula) von der Leyen commission is a disaster when it comes to work and rights, said Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini.
Farmers appeal for cooperation
An appeal to farmers appeared on social media, in which the organizers of the strikes emphasize that everyone – every citizen and every person – is responsible for the current situation.
What are the effects of this? Destroying both producers and consumers. Farmers present a whole list of consequences caused by EU policy.
- The costs of producing agricultural products have never been defined, nor have the rules of unfair competition.
- MADE IN ITALY: if production costs are not determined, an ITALIAN PRODUCT cannot be guaranteed, sales revenues do not cover production costs, which leads to companies withdrawing from business and saying goodbye to Italian food.
- GREEN EUROPEAN POLICY: the climate problem justifies the elimination of animal production and breeding, and even forcing their slaughter. Acres of land across Italy are being expropriated to build solar panels and wind turbines, as in the Netherlands, instead of installing them on warehouse roofs.
- AGRICULTURAL FINANCING: Millions of euros are awarded to purchase equipment and tractors that will soon become unused because farms can no longer produce;
- farmers are still waiting for compensation for losses for 2022 and 2023;
- mortgages and loans paid at variable interest rates have increased by up to 70%; no intervention to support agricultural businesses and other sectors to reduce interest costs.
- BREEDING AND MILK: milk costs have remained at the level of the 1980s, and production costs have quadrupled; inheritance deals were put on hold for decades.
- COMPENSATIONS FOR STOPPING CEREAL PRODUCTION (see PSR of the Emilia-Romagna region), for stopping fishing (scrapping fishing boats), for stopping cattle breeding, poultry farming out of respect for green policy, the consequence of these organics is the consumption of food based on grasshoppers, crickets, locusts
The situation is serious, farmers appeal. – Don’t wait for someone else to act on your behalf. Each of us can and should do it! – they add.
– .
