Walterp
Member
- Location
- Pembrokeshire
In the 1970's the 'Farmers' Weekly' was more interested in France and its agriculture than it ever is today - a sign (as if any were needed) of the contemporary insularity of English farmers.
Back then, la France profonde was portrayed as a land of scattered peasant holdings, with Jacques scratching a bare living from a few hectares and a handful of cows. It was, to some, a reassuring picture of Continental backwardness, which flattered by comparison - in 1970 the English farmer could aspire to a new Range Rover, whilst poor old Jacques would make do with a Citroen 'deux chevaux' (first produced 1948) whose unpretentious claim to fame was that it could be driven over a ploughed field without smashing a crate of eggs.
In the here-and-now, those same UK farmers who have struggled in the meantime to buy a few more acres are unlikely to read Press features about how Jacques fils has fared. Encouraged by Government policy and social norms, he has often multiplied his acreage and, thus, kept France as a World player in the production and export of crops, food and drink.
This pragmatism works both ways: when faced with unwelcome competition, French farmers would hijack and burn UK lamb imports whilst les gendarmes (who are fairly heavily armed) looked on, impassive. The last UK farm demonstrators I recall were intercepted by the Police en route to a protest, and threatened with the impounding of their Range Rovers if they continued to the dock-side - they turned back. (I hope the new model Defender has a seat design that allows room for farmers' tails).
Those old pictures of UK lamb roasting gently on an open road in rural France were re-awakened by the info that France has just recruited hundreds of extra douaniers to enforce tariff and non-tariff barriers to UK exports. The national schools (at Tourcoing et à La Rochelle) are operating full-pelt.
Which brings me back to insularity - and the sheep farmers on TFF who appear to believe that the international lamb trade is in the natural order of things.
Back then, la France profonde was portrayed as a land of scattered peasant holdings, with Jacques scratching a bare living from a few hectares and a handful of cows. It was, to some, a reassuring picture of Continental backwardness, which flattered by comparison - in 1970 the English farmer could aspire to a new Range Rover, whilst poor old Jacques would make do with a Citroen 'deux chevaux' (first produced 1948) whose unpretentious claim to fame was that it could be driven over a ploughed field without smashing a crate of eggs.
In the here-and-now, those same UK farmers who have struggled in the meantime to buy a few more acres are unlikely to read Press features about how Jacques fils has fared. Encouraged by Government policy and social norms, he has often multiplied his acreage and, thus, kept France as a World player in the production and export of crops, food and drink.
This pragmatism works both ways: when faced with unwelcome competition, French farmers would hijack and burn UK lamb imports whilst les gendarmes (who are fairly heavily armed) looked on, impassive. The last UK farm demonstrators I recall were intercepted by the Police en route to a protest, and threatened with the impounding of their Range Rovers if they continued to the dock-side - they turned back. (I hope the new model Defender has a seat design that allows room for farmers' tails).
Those old pictures of UK lamb roasting gently on an open road in rural France were re-awakened by the info that France has just recruited hundreds of extra douaniers to enforce tariff and non-tariff barriers to UK exports. The national schools (at Tourcoing et à La Rochelle) are operating full-pelt.
Which brings me back to insularity - and the sheep farmers on TFF who appear to believe that the international lamb trade is in the natural order of things.
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