Farmers protesting in Toulouse, France, on January 16, 2024, with tractors bearing placards that read ‘Macron still an effort, soon all farmers will be dead’. Photo by Alain Pitton/NurPhoto via Reuters

Explainer: Why are French farmers protesting?

Many farmers feeling pinched by costs, imports, environmental regulations and disregarded by French society

French farmers are blocking roads across the country to demand government action to address numerous grievances, as protests in the European Union's agricultural sector spread. Here are some of the issues that have prompted the growing protest movement and how the government could respond.






(Sansubba/iStock/Getty Images)

Sweden reports bird flu outbreak as disease spreads

The Philippines bans poultry imports from France, Belgium to protect poultry, workers, consumers

Sweden has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus on a farm in the southern part of the country, the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Tuesday, as the disease spreads in Europe. The Philippines, meanwhile, has banned imports of French and Belgian poultry as a virus containment measure.



Fried foie gras, grilled. (Vichie81/iStock/Getty Images)

French foie gras makers toast rising output after bird flu gloom

Canada, U.S., Japan ban French poultry imports since vaccination

Paris | Reuters — French foie gras output is set to rise for the first time in five years in 2023 as France starts vaccinating ducks against bird flu that has destroyed flocks in recent years, but trade bans that followed will weigh on exports, producers said on Thursday. France has been among the countries […] Read more

File photo of ducks on a farm at Gironde in southwestern France. (Esperanza33/iStock/Getty Images)

Canada puts temporary ban on France’s poultry, eggs

CFIA move to 'manage the risk' from bird flu vaccination plan

Imports of live birds and unprocessed poultry and eggs from France are barred from Canada effective Sunday (Oct. 1), pending a risk assessment of France’s duck vaccination program for avian flu. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced the temporary ban Tuesday, following France’s move to require mandatory vaccination against highly pathogenic avian flu (HPAI) […] Read more