French Farmers Protest Government's Culling Policy Amid Contagious Nodular Dermatitis Outbreak

Farmers across southwestern France have launched widespread protests against the government’s policy of culling cattle to control the contagious nodular dermatitis (DNC) outbreak. On December 13, around 900 to 1000 farmers participated in demonstrations spanning 13 departments, notably blocking major roads including nearly 150 kilometers of the A64 highway between Toulouse and Bayonne, as well as routes around Pau and Ariège. About 80 tractors participated in the blockade near Carbonne following gatherings in Agen.

The protests reflect farmers' opposition to culling seemingly healthy animals because they belong to herds exposed to infection, with Léon Thierry of the Coordination rurale des Pyrénées-Atlantiques stating, “It is out of the question that in the Pyrenean massif, we cull healthy animals because they belong to a herd where, supposedly, a sick animal came from.” Similar sentiments echo the broader agricultural community's refusal to accept the government’s approach.

Political figures have voiced support for the protests. Jean-Luc Mélenchon criticized the culling strategy as “absurd” and condemned police violence associated with enforcing it. Marine Le Pen called for urgent dialogue to seek alternative solutions, while François Ruffin highlighted the trauma farmers face from both livestock loss and police actions. The Ecologist party also called for reconsideration of current health policies, emphasizing the human and economic toll.

Since DNC emerged in June, the government’s response has included culling entire affected herds, restricting livestock mobility, and vaccinating cattle within a 50 km radius of outbreaks. While authorities continue to defend culling as necessary to control the disease and protect French exports, they have expanded vaccination zones and plan to vaccinate nearly one million more animals in the Occitanie region, where the disease has affected four departments.

The Interior Minister has urged calm and flexibility from law enforcement, advising intervention only in instances of violence. Nevertheless, tensions remain high as farmers challenge a policy they see as unjust and harmful to their livelihoods, hoping ongoing protests will prompt policy reassessment and more dialogue with government authorities.