Farmers in Belgium and across the EU vow to keep protest movement going

‌Inside the airy sheds at Vincent Delobel's farm in western Belgium, all you can hear is goats bleating, the bells around their necks jingling and the patter of light rain on the roof.

Delobel's family has been farming the same land for more than 300 years. With a herd of 70 dairy goats, he produces organic milk and goat's cheese.

Delobel took time away from his day job at the start of this month, joining thousands of farmers who took over central Brussels with a vast protest. He was also one of several farmers who sat down with top European officials that day.

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"I would say we have been listened [to], it was really thanks to very high pressure from the protests both here in Brussels but also in the country and all around Europe," he says. "At the same time, it was really important to be listened [to], it opened the doors but now we really ask for concrete actions."

He admits that his industry has to change as well, explaining that he believes "relatively small" farms like his are leading the way in adapting to climate change.

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'Avoiding the blame game'

‌The recent demonstrations by farmers in Belgium, France and across the European Union have forced officials into almost immediate concessions. Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that plans for new restrictions on the use of pesticides have been shelved.

‌"The months ahead will not be easy. But I think we have an important opportunity now," said Von der Leyen in a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. 

"It is clear to everyone in this House that our agri-food sector – beginning with the farms – needs a long-term prospect and a willingness to listen to each other and look for common solutions. We need to avoid the blame game and find solutions for problems together."

Protests far from over

Farmers protesting all over Europe have some consistent demands. They say high energy costs, cheap imports from overseas and new green regulations have hit their incomes badly. Many worry about the impact of upcoming climate change legislation on already thin profit margins.

However, the challenge in finding long-term solutions is that different farmers in different countries also have different demands. For Delobel in western Belgium, the EU's trade talks with Mercosur - a trade bloc that includes South American agricultural powerhouses such as Brazil and Argentina - are front of mind.

‌"The EU-Mercosur free trade is a very big threat for us because it would mean a lot of imports of a lot of cheap meat and feed that are not produced with the same standards as what we are doing," he explains. "It would be a very unfair competition for all farmers and put more pressure on prices and the availability in the supermarkets as well, so this must be stopped."

‌With European elections coming up this summer, Delobel adds that the protest movement is "going to continue... for sure."

‌He'll keep tending to his goats for now - but the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels are less than a two-hour drive away.

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