France is already seeing widespread protests and road blockades from farmers - so far, the largest union has not got involved. But that could change if an EU treaty is signed this week. The head of France's largest agricultural union the FNSEA has threatened more protests if the EU's controversial Mercosur trade deal is signed this week. Arnaud Rousseau told France Inter radio on Wednesday that there will be "much larger protests" if the Mercosur deal is signed by the end of the week.
The state's strategy since nodular dermatitis - also known as lumpy skin disease - appeared in France in June has been to kill affected herds and vaccinate all cattle within a 50-kilometre radius. Last week it then broadened inoculations to include up to one million head of cattle in the southwestern Nouvelle-Aquitaine and southeastern Occitanie regions. Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard on Monday urged farmers to have faith in the plan.
One month after it was first detected in France, there are now 51 recorded cases of the highly contagious cattle virus Dermatose nodulaire contagieuse (known as Lumpy Skin Disease) in the French Alps.
