Agents of the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB) are taking unprecedented action as they organize strikes and protests across France on January 31, 2025, following rising tensions with farmers and political figures. This movement is largely ignited by comments made by Prime Minister François Bayrou, who termed some OFB enforcement actions as an "humiliation" and "fault," provoking strong backlash from the agency's workforce.
With about 3,000 agents involved, the inter-union group representing OFB employees is calling for demonstrations outside prefectures, especially concentrated across western France where sentiments among agents mirror deep-seated frustrations and feelings of being scapegoated.
The grounds for this protest stem from the increasing pressure agents have faced as they enforce rules on pesticide use, hedge removal, and drought management, often meeting confrontations when they enter agricultural sites. Sylvain Michel, a CGT union representative and OFB agent, expressed the collective discontent, stating, "When you think you’re doing what's best to protect the environment and help farmers transition to more sustainable models, it’s unbearable to face attacks from all sides." Michel highlighted the dual burdens the agents feel—bearing criticism from both farmers and their government.
Particularly unsettling for many OFB agents, attacks on their offices have surged, with nearly 90 recorded incidents of vandalism or aggression, demanding urgent action from authorities. "Our workplaces and tools must be protected by law enforcement," Michel added, emphasizing the uncomfortable atmosphere agents now face.
Further aggravation arose from Bayrou's rhetoric depicting their inspections as overly aggressive, with one representative noting, "We’ve been put on trial for simply doing our jobs. This is the first time public service agents have been targeted like this," referring to the Prime Minister's remarks which reinforced the perception of vulnerability among field staff.
All the turmoil has prompted the OFB to take their grievances directly to the streets. Notably, protests were already planned at 10 AM outside significant governmental offices, including locations like Rennes and Nantes. These demonstrations aim to both voice collective grievances and demand clear support from the French government.
Guillaume Rulin, representing the EFA-CGC union, echoed sentiments shared among his colleagues, affirming participation would be significant. “We expect many of our peers from across New Aquitaine to join us,” he noted. “Just this week, we experienced attacks on our control units and felt completely unsupported.”
Demanding action, Rulin and other agents are calling for the annulment of the ministerial directive enforcing agents to carry concealed weapons during site inspections. This directive has been labeled as confusing and potentially dangerous, creating animosity between agents and farmers, the latter of whom often perceive these measures as threats. "It’s us who should feel safe, not burdened with guns when we are simply enforcing the law set by politicians themselves!" he emphasized, illustrating the absurdity felt by those on the ground.
Despite the support pledged by Ecology Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher, such efforts seemingly haven’t calmed the strife among OFB workers. Many are still seeking direct communication from the government, ideally through well-articulated public affirmations of support for their significant mandates. "We need to reiterate our importance to government policies from the top down," Rulin claimed.
Despite previous reassurances, the strikes grow larger as the OFB’s relationships with the agricultural community deteriorate, particularly as they enter election cycles for agricultural councils. Calls from agricultural representatives urging for violence against OFB agents and control measures have compounded tensions and led workers to feel insecure.
During these heated discussions, it was highlighted by the OFB’s leadership the majority of their inspections happen without conflict, with less than 1% of those contacted having experienced significant issues. Olivier Thibault, the agency’s director, recently stated, "Most interactions are peaceful and guided. Less than 200 out of 400,000 inspections have led to serious disputes; this is as much about perception as reality."
The earnest hope among the protesting agents is to restore balanced dialogue and cooperation with farmers to enact necessary environmental policies. The stakes are high as they navigate their future and the influence of farming lobbies on governmental views. Their appeal for stronger security and acknowledgement of their role did not wane, as they emphasized how the mission to safeguard biodiversity is tantamount for sustaining both agriculture and natural ecosystems.
When dialogue ceases to maintain its balance, today’s actions may just mark the beginning of a wider rift between agriculture and ecological services amid growing environmental crises intertwined with economic pressures. The stakes for OFB agents are high as they strive to reclaim their status as protectors of biodiversity rather than scapegoats caught between competing interests.