Why Angry Farmers Are Blocking Roads Across Europe

A long-brewing crisis in European agriculture has burst into the open as farmers block roads and key border crossings and dump manure in front of public buildings. They’re angry about cheap food imports, subsidy cuts and a growing list of environmental directives that they say is pushing them out of business. Farmers represent little more than 4% of Europe’s workforce, but their grievances resonate with voters, making it hard for politicians to dismiss their demands.

The main focus of their anger is the so-called Green Deal, the European Union’s plan to make the continent carbon neutral by 2050 and improve biodiversity. Farm incomes have been falling since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and many farmers are heavily in debt, so they’re struggling to raise the funds to invest in more sustainable practices. The EU has overhauled its Common Agricultural Policy subsidy regime to support this transition. However, European Commission Executive Vice President Maros Sefcovic admitted in February that the €270 billion ($291 billion) of EU funds set aside for the 2023-2027 period to help farmers won’t be enough to meet the challenges. Among other grievances: