French Government Expands Vaccination Campaign Amid Intensifying Farmer Protests Over Contagious Nodular Dermatitis

The French government is intensifying its vaccination campaign against contagious nodular dermatitis (DNC) by planning to vaccinate nearly one million additional cattle in eight regulated departments, even as farmer protests escalate in southwestern France. Approximately 180 kilometers of the A64 highway between Bayonne and Saint-Gaudens remain blocked by protesting farmers outraged by the government's policy of culling affected herds, which they view as overly aggressive.

Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard announced she will personally attend the start of livestock vaccinations in Occitanie, aiming to reassure farmers and prevent further herd culling. Genevard empathized with farmers’ distress, acknowledging the strong bond they have with their livestock and the “great anxiety” caused by the disease. She emphasized that vaccines are plentiful and highlighted the success of similar protocols in Savoie.

Since June, 109 DNC outbreaks have been recorded in France, with 107 resolved and two still active, primarily within four departments of Occitanie. The government's current strategy—supported by FNSEA-Jeunes Agriculteurs—involves culling all animals from affected farms and vaccinating cattle within a 50 km radius of outbreaks. However, major agricultural unions such as Coordination rurale and Confédération paysanne strongly oppose culling, advocating instead for broader vaccination without mass euthanasia.

Tensions have escalated to the point where gendarmes had to intervene to grant veterinary access to affected farms. The protests are further fueled by farmers’ frustrations over EU agricultural budget reductions and contested trade agreements, including Genevard’s opposition to the Mercosur deal, which she stated does not meet France’s requirements.

Despite the unrest, the government maintains that there are currently no active DNC outbreaks in France outside the two remaining cases and that the situation is under control. Genevard expressed hope that successfully eradicating the disease will allow cattle to be present at the upcoming Salon de l’Agriculture, a premier agricultural fair in France.