'We'll be here until Christmas' say blockading French farmers

"Farmers in south-west France say they intend to spend Christmas on the barricades, although across the country many of the roadblocks have been lifted for the festive period. Farmers blockading some of the main roads through south-west France and into Spain have rejected calls for a Christmas 'truce', saying they intend to remain on the barricades over the festive period. The A64 between Toulouse and Bayonne and the A63 at Cestas, near Bordeaux, remain blocked on Monday, with farmers saying they have no intention of leaving."

"Many blockades have been lifted around the country as farmers go home to spend Christmas with their families - over the weekend blockades on the A75, A89, A20 and A89 were cleared, as well as several blockades or actions on smaller, local routes. But the self-declared 'Ultras of the A64' say they have no intention of moving. Cecile Gounot told French media: "I'll be spending Christmas here on the barricades along with my two daughters, who are at agricultural college.""

"Farmers have been staging protests for more than a week over the government-mandated culling of cattle in herds with cases of contagious illness Lumpy Skin Disease. A meeting between the prime minister and farming unions on Friday failed to provide a breakthrough, although not all agricultural unions are against the cull strategy, which has been used in France since the first outbreaks of the disease in the Alps in the summer."

Farmers in south-west France are maintaining roadblock protests and intend to spend Christmas on the barricades, despite many blockades nationwide being lifted for the festive period. Key routes such as the A64 between Toulouse and Bayonne and the A63 at Cestas near Bordeaux remain blocked. Some groups, including the self-declared 'Ultras of the A64,' refuse to move. Many other blockades were cleared over the weekend as farmers returned home. The protests target government-mandated culling of cattle in herds with cases of Lumpy Skin Disease. A recent meeting between the prime minister and farming unions failed to produce a breakthrough.

Read at www.thelocal.fr