September 6, 2010

France's FNB calls for 20% producer price hike

FNB, the French beef farmers' trade body, is calling for a 20% increase in producer prices and has launched a campaign to heighten awareness of the industry problems.

Beginning today, FNB members are targeting beef imports from outside the EU, denouncing the conditions they are produced in and particularly those related to the well-being of animals, food safety and the environment.

The campaign, which could last several weeks, will also see farmers descend on supermarket outlets to request that they be shown retailers' bills from suppliers.

FNB will also place stickers on products they consider to be on offer at 'knock-down' prices-in similar fashion to milk farmers' action earlier this summer. The FNB is also lobbying the government to introduce measures by the end of the year to reduce the business costs of beef farmers. It claims that many of them are struggling to make ends meet.