After meeting with farmers' unions the day before, new French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal held a meeting with his ministers of agriculture, the environment and the economy on Thursday, January 25, as protests continued to spread across the country. The government's initial measures are to be announced on Friday. But two unions, the FNSEA and the Jeunes Agriculteurs (Young Farmers), have called on public authorities to take into account "all" of their grievances to map a way out of the crisis. "The hundred or so very concrete proposals (...) are not a basis for negotiation, they are a final demand in which there is no question of shopping around," warned FNSEA president Arnaud Rousseau. "Between now and Friday, nearly 85 departments (out of 101) will be taking action, either continuously or sporadically, because we also have to hold out for the long term. That's what this show of strength is all about."

Blockades of freeways, ring roads and traffic circles intensified on Thursday. From Brittany to Alsace, from the north to the southwest, Le Monde's reporters met farmers who spoke of the same problems: low incomes for demanding and increasingly complex work, and above all, a loss of meaning and a lack of recognition.

Escorted by police, 15 tractors made their way to the operation organized by the Bordeaux ring road on Thursday, January 25, and were greeted by motorists. "We're lucky to have the support of the people," a protestor in a cattle truck said. Under a bridge, they were going to put a "giant hangman" made of blue cans to show that in French agriculture "there's not one of us that's coping through this," sighed Vincent Colinau, 33, a mixed crop-livestock farmer.

Colinau hoped that the sudden protest action would finally allow him to be seen, heard, and listened to, just like thousands of farmers who have joined roadblocks across France over the past few days.

Cyril Cottin, 39, who lives in Séreilhac, central France, had never demonstrated before. However, this Wednesday, he got out his tractor and joined some 40 farmers from the surrounding area to block the traffic circles at Aixe-sur-Vienne. Here, the movement is "without union banners," but their placards read: "Agriculture in agony," "I'm a farmer, I feed you and it's killing me."

He started out earning €1,000 a month with his herd of dairy and beef cattle 18 years ago. However, despite the size of his farm and his milk production having tripled, he now he earns €800. Pierre Boissou, who raises 1,500 ewes on 300 hectares said, "They're cutting our subsidies: In one year, we've lost €12,000 net. We manage to earn between €1,000 and €1,500 a month, but for 70 hours' work a week."

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