By Kylie Lelievre – Contributor

Farmers across the European Union (EU) are airing grievances about environmental regulations and their agriculture woes, blocking roads with tractors and rallying on the streets.

One source of these protests is a series of EU environmental policy proposals designed to enhance sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of agricultural practices. These are part of the EU’s Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy. These regulations encompassed halving pesticide usage, limiting the amount of land farmers can harvest annually and emissions reductions. The EU appeared to concede to protestors when they announced they would lessen ambitions regarding greenhouse gas emissions and pesticide use. 

The EU aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and strives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 55 per cent by 2030, relative to 1990 levels. While proponents of the environmental policies argue that these measures are crucial for environmental protection and long-term sustainability, farmers counter that the regulations are overly restrictive and do not adequately address the economic and practical challenges they face. 

Farmers hailing from different EU countries have come together to participate in a series of protests. These demonstrations include rallies and public displays of discontent, including road blockades with tractors or dumped tires and throwing eggs at the European Parliament. Protests were directed against the EU proposals, which national governments must enforce, but also targeted rising input prices, cheap imports from Ukraine and governments pushing lower food prices amid inflation. The protests have been observed in major agricultural regions, capital cities and areas near key EU institutions. The farmers engage in these activities to vocalize their dissatisfaction with regulations’ economic viability and perceived adverse effects on their farming practices. Some demonstrations are ongoing, now protesting national policies. 

Farmers assert that the stringent regulations and sustainability standards could fundamentally alter their industry, leading to financial strain and jeopardizing the very fabric of their way of life. After the extensive demonstrations began, the EU announced plans to delay land management requirements, scrapped their initial goal to halve pesticide usage and walked back on emissions commitments. France rolled back on plans to increase diesel taxes, and Germany watered down car taxes and diesel subsidy cuts for vehicles used in agriculture. The EU agriculture commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski expressed satisfaction with the policy reversals.

Emily Crunican, a student in the environment, agriculture and geography department at Bishop’s, believes that to address the issue, it is crucial for the EU to better collaborate with farmers to take “attainable and actionable steps towards mitigating and reducing emissions”. Collaborative research “would address environmental concerns while taking into consideration the livelihoods of farmers.”

To assess the likelihood of similar protests in Canada, examining the country’s existing agricultural policies and emissions reduction goals is imperative. Tristan Skolrud, an agriculture and resource economics professor from the University of Saskatchewan, told Global News that EU regulations for producers are far more ambitious than Canada’s. The potential for protests could hinge on how Ottawa crafts and executes policies with farmers.

As these demonstrations unfold, the global agricultural community watches to see if policymakers can find a middle ground that ensures sustainability without compromising the livelihoods of farming communities.