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Farmers Revolts

7 Reasons for the European Farmer's Revolt against EU Diktat

December 19, 20253 min read

European farmers across the continent are revolting against the EU's mandates on farming, including the killing of livestock and other excessive regulatory nonsense.

Farmers mean Food. Food means Life. Pretty simple equation. But the incompetents in the EU don't understand this perspectives. Protests have blown up over the last few days, brewing for years across almost every European country.

Here are 7 key reasons why farmers across the EU have been protesting against EU mandates and policies, drawing from ongoing demonstrations in 2024-2025. Each includes specific examples and headlines from recent events.

  1. EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement
    Farmers oppose the deal, fearing an influx of cheaper South American imports (e.g., beef, sugar, poultry) produced under less stringent environmental and pesticide rules, undercutting EU producers.

    • Headline: "Angry farmers block Brussels roads with tractors over Mercosur trade deal" (Al Jazeera, December 18, 2025) — Thousands of farmers protested in Brussels, hurling potatoes and clashing with police during an EU summit.

  2. European Green Deal Environmental Regulations
    Strict rules, including nitrogen emissions reductions, pesticide bans, and land set-aside requirements, increase costs and limit production while aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050.

    • Headline: "European farmer protests risk eroding the climate agenda" (PIIE, 2024) — Protests targeted Green Deal policies seen as burdensome without adequate support.

  3. Cheap Imports from Ukraine
    Duty-free Ukrainian grain and products flood the market post-Russia invasion, depressing local prices despite EU solidarity measures.

    • Headline: "Why are farmers across Europe protesting?" (DW, February 2024) — Eastern European farmers, especially in Poland, blocked borders over unfair competition from Ukrainian imports.

  4. Excessive Bureaucracy and Red Tape
    Complex administrative requirements for subsidies and compliance overwhelm farmers, adding costs without benefits.

    • Headline: "Europe's restless farmers are forcing policymakers to act" (Reuters, April 2024) — Protests highlighted demands to reduce burdensome paperwork and inspections.

  5. Low Farm Incomes and Falling Food Prices
    Rising input costs (energy, fertilizer) combined with declining producer prices squeeze margins, exacerbated by inflation and market pressures.

    • Headline: "Farmers’ protests have erupted across Europe. Here’s why" (CNN, February 2024) — Demonstrations focused on shrinking incomes amid high costs and supermarket pricing power.

  6. Nitrate and Nitrogen Emission Curbs (Nitrates Directive)
    Limits on fertilizer and manure use to prevent water pollution force farm restructurings, particularly in intensive livestock areas.

    • Example: Dutch and Belgian farmers protested nitrogen reduction plans requiring livestock cuts; headline reference in Wikipedia's 2023–2024 protests summary, with ongoing grievances in northern Europe.

  7. Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Reforms and Future Funding Uncertainty
    Shifts toward greener practices and fears of subsidy cuts post-2027 reduce direct income support while adding conditions.

    • Headline: "A farmer throws a potato... during a protest to denounce the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy" (Al Jazeera/AFP, December 18, 2025) — Brussels protests explicitly targeted CAP changes and trade deals.

These protests, peaking in late 2025 around the Mercosur debate, reflect cumulative frustrations with policies perceived as prioritizing environmental goals and trade over farmer viability. The EU has responded with some concessions, like delaying Mercosur and simplifying rules, but tensions persist.

Some posts on X certainly explain the Farmer's stands.

Farmer's Protests against the EU

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Michael Mandaville

Michael is a writer, filmmaker and dedicated World War II historian who studies martial arts, action films and is learning more about VFX every single darn day. Oh and a Scholar Warrior

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