French Farmers Seek to Reconnect Consumers to Their World
2020-03-05
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1Farmer Jerome Regnault works on a windy day in his fields, just west of Paris.
2As he looks around the property, he can see it is very different than it was when his grandfather worked the same fields.
3Roads and housing developments are moving a lot closer.
4Technology and international markets are increasingly important to the success of his farm.
5French farmers like Regnault say they now have another concern: agri-bashing.
6Agri-bashing is the verbal criticism and sometimes even physical abuse of farmers.
7Critics accuse them of harming the environment, animals and the health of other people.
8"It's become unsupportable," said Regnault.
9He has not personally been attacked, but knows of friends who have.
10He says that "worries over agricultural practices" do not justify people attacking farmers and their farms.
11As the yearly agricultural show in Paris opened last week, many farmers spoke about their sense of becoming victims.
12The show gives French children and their parents a chance to touch farm animals and reconnect with their agricultural past.
13A growing farmers' movement now wants to make that connection stronger.
14Some farmers are putting videos on social media to explain what they are doing.
15Regnault and a group of farmers launched a telephone hotline for questions and concerns.
16"We realized that while farming had a negative image, farmers were seen in a positive light," he said.
17His group is called Ici La Terre (Here is Earth).
18Across Europe and on other continents, farmers are under pressure to increase their harvests to feed a growing world population for less cost.
19Many farmers are also under pressure because of climate change.
20Now, they are pushing back.
21In recent months, farmers and their machinery have stopped traffic in Germany, Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands, among other countries.
22They have protested such things as feared cuts in European Union aid to farmers, free trade deals and stronger environmental rules.
23In France, officials have created pesticide safe areas around communities.
24They have announced plans to ban the herbicide glyphosate, which kills unwanted plants.
25Environmentalists say both measures fall short of what is needed.
26Farmers answered the environmentalists by leaving hay on a major road in Paris.
27French President Emmanuel Macron told farmers he would fight in support of the EU's assistance to farmers.
28He said the money will help them change to more environmentally friendly farming methods.
29"It's a policy of the future," Macron said.
30Yet some environmentalists say they, not farmers, are under siege.
31"We believe agri-bashing doesn't exist," said Marie-Catherine Schulz-Vannaxay.
32She is an agricultural expert for the group France Nature Environnement.
33She said that many farmers just do not like being criticized.
34For hundreds of years, agriculture controlled the French economy.
35Today, less than three percent of workers are involved with agriculture.
36About 20 percent of farmers live in poverty and their suicide rates are higher.
37Some farmers are, in fact, changing.
38A new report finds about 10 percent of them are growing organic products.
39Organic farming and other issues are discussed on the farming hotline.
40Launched in September, Ici La Terre now counts 130 farmers.
41"We're not trying to convince people, just to explain what we do and exchange," Regnault said.
42I'm Susan Shand.
1Farmer Jerome Regnault works on a windy day in his fields, just west of Paris. As he looks around the property, he can see it is very different than it was when his grandfather worked the same fields. 2Roads and housing developments are moving a lot closer. Technology and international markets are increasingly important to the success of his farm. 3French farmers like Regnault say they now have another concern: agri-bashing. 4Agri-bashing is the verbal criticism and sometimes even physical abuse of farmers. Critics accuse them of harming the environment, animals and the health of other people. 5"It's become unsupportable," said Regnault. He has not personally been attacked, but knows of friends who have. He says that "worries over agricultural practices" do not justify people attacking farmers and their farms. 6As the yearly agricultural show in Paris opened last week, many farmers spoke about their sense of becoming victims. 7The show gives French children and their parents a chance to touch farm animals and reconnect with their agricultural past. 8A growing farmers' movement now wants to make that connection stronger. Some farmers are putting videos on social media to explain what they are doing. Regnault and a group of farmers launched a telephone hotline for questions and concerns. 9"We realized that while farming had a negative image, farmers were seen in a positive light," he said. 10His group is called Ici La Terre (Here is Earth). 11Hard times for European farmers 12Across Europe and on other continents, farmers are under pressure to increase their harvests to feed a growing world population for less cost. Many farmers are also under pressure because of climate change. Now, they are pushing back. 13In recent months, farmers and their machinery have stopped traffic in Germany, Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands, among other countries. They have protested such things as feared cuts in European Union aid to farmers, free trade deals and stronger environmental rules. 14In France, officials have created pesticide safe areas around communities. They have announced plans to ban the herbicide glyphosate, which kills unwanted plants. Environmentalists say both measures fall short of what is needed. Farmers answered the environmentalists by leaving hay on a major road in Paris. 15French President Emmanuel Macron told farmers he would fight in support of the EU's assistance to farmers. He said the money will help them change to more environmentally friendly farming methods. 16"It's a policy of the future," Macron said. 17Yet some environmentalists say they, not farmers, are under siege. 18"We believe agri-bashing doesn't exist," said Marie-Catherine Schulz-Vannaxay. She is an agricultural expert for the group France Nature Environnement. She said that many farmers just do not like being criticized. 19For hundreds of years, agriculture controlled the French economy. Today, less than three percent of workers are involved with agriculture. About 20 percent of farmers live in poverty and their suicide rates are higher. 20Ici La Terre 21Some farmers are, in fact, changing. A new report finds about 10 percent of them are growing organic products. 22Organic farming and other issues are discussed on the farming hotline. Launched in September, Ici La Terre now counts 130 farmers. 23"We're not trying to convince people, just to explain what we do and exchange," Regnault said. 24I'm Susan Shand. 25VOA's Lisa Bryant reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 26Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. 27________________________________________________________________ 28Words in This Story 29practices - n. the action of doing or using something 30hotline - n. a telephone service for the public to use to get help in emergencies 31negative - adj. thinking about the bad qualities of someone or something 32positive - adj. thinking about the good qualities of someone or something 33pesticide - n. a chemical that is used to kill animals or insects that damage plants or crops 34hay - n. grass that has been cut and dried to be used as food for animals 35organic - adj. grown or made without the use of artificial chemicals 36convince - v. to cause (someone) to believe that something is true