Farmers continued to block highways in southwestern France on Friday (December 19), as unions met with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on how to address lumpy skin disease, an outbreak among livestock that has fuelled a new wave of farmers’ protests in southern France.

In the southern city of Avignon, protesting farmers lit fires in front of an administrative building and discarded piles of produce such as apples and carrots along their barricades.

The spread of lumpy skin disease, a virus affecting cattle, has rekindled discontent among farmers over what they see as a long-term decline in French agriculture due to foreign competition and excessive regulation.

French rules require the entire herd be culled when an outbreak is detected, a measure some unions consider excessive and cruel. Some 3,000 cattle have been slaughtered since June.

The authorities say the policy is necessary to stop the disease spreading across France, which has the largest cattle herd in the European Union.

Some farmers' unions say the policy destroys livelihoods, adding to deep-seated grievances that include the planned EU-Mercosur trade deal.

France deployed its military to accelerate the vaccination of cattle against lumpy skin disease on Thursday (December 18), seeking to contain the lumpy skin disease outbreak.

France procured 400,000 vaccine doses from the Netherlands to add to its stock of 500,000 vaccines. An A400M military transport plane delivered the extra shots to an army base in the city of Toulouse and the military will assist in delivering shots to some 750,000 cows.

“We are now being told to expand vaccination zones. Vaccines must arrive on the territory as quickly as possible,” the secretary-general of the 'Young Farmers' (Jeunes Agriculture) union said, after a meeting with Lecornu.

The government is also drafting in several dozen veterinary doctors from the army to help with the vaccination program in southern areas, including the remote Ariege region where few civilian vets are available.

Authorities to complete the vaccination program within a month.

On the international stage, President Emmanuel Macron has responded by doubling down on a promise he will not endorse a European Union trade deal with the Latin American Mercosur bloc unless safeguards to protect Europe's farmers are toughened.

Arnaud Rousseau, the president of the largest farm union FNSEA, said farmers did not want to block commuters from heading back to their families over the holidays, but that their next action would depend on Lecornu’s written response to their demands.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: FIRE BURNING IN FRONT OF AVIGNON ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING, FARMERS AND TRACTORS PROTESTING / UNION HEADS SPEAKING ABOUT THEIR DEMANDS TO PM / ARMY UNLOADING VACCINE BOXES

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING FOR SHOTS 1 TO 4

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: AVIGNON, FRANCE (DECEMBER 19, 2025) (BFMTV – No use France)

1.⁠ ⁠FIRE STARTED BY PROTESTING FARMERS BURNING ON ROAD

2. VARIOUS OF DUMPED VEGETABLES AND FIRES BURNING

3.⁠ ⁠TRACTOR PUSHING BURNING TIRES AND DEBRIS

4.⁠ ⁠VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE

PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 19, 2025) (AGENCY POOL - Access all)

5.⁠ PRESIDENT OF 'YOUNG FARMERS' UNION, PIERRICK HOREL, (RIGHT) AND SECRETARY GENERAL, QUENTIN GUILLOUS, (LEFT) COMING OUT OF PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE, AFTER MEETING WITH SEBASTIEN LECORNU

6.⁠ ⁠(SOUNDBITE) (French) SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE YOUNG FARMERS UNION, QUENTIN GUILLOUS, SAYING:

“We have the farmers' livestock health monitoring organisations and the veterinarians all in agreement. We are united in saying that there are three measures to implement: first, the culling of herds affected by the disease; second, limiting transportation. On this point, we strongly pressed the minister, telling him that today we need to quickly target farms that are not complying. We may need to reconsider and even anticipate animal movements because we can no longer allow this disease to spread from region to region or risk condemning France tomorrow. Action must be taken quickly to limit animal movements. And finally, vaccination. We are now being told to expand vaccination zones. Vaccines must arrive on the territory as quickly as possible.”

RENNES, FRANCE (DECEMBER 17, 2025) (FRENCH ARMED FORCES – Must on-screen courtesy ‘French Armed Forces, no re-use after January 18, 2026)

7.⁠ ⁠CONTAINER HOLDING VACCINES BEING OPENED BY SOLDIER

8. TRUCK BACKING UP

9. VACCINE BOXES BEING UNLOADED FROM TRUCK

10. VARIOUS OF MAN PLACING VACCINE BOXES ON PALLET

PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 19, 2025) (AGENCY POOL - Access all)

11.⁠ ⁠⁠(SOUNDBITE) (French) PRESIDENT OF 'YOUNG FARMERS' UNION, PIERRICK HOREL, SAYING:

“During the holidays, the 'Young Farmers' will not be mobilizing for the simple reason that we want to respect the Christmas truce for our fellow citizens and, to be completely transparent with you, for ourselves as well. Because we are fighting tough battles, we remain involved, but above all, we are still human beings. So we will respect the Christmas truce but believe me, we will see each other again after.”

12.⁠ ⁠PRESIDENT OF 'FNSEA' FARMERS' UNION, ARNAUD ROUSSEAU, WALKING OUT OF MEETING WITH LECORNU

13.⁠ ⁠(SOUNDBITE) (French) PRESIDENT OF 'FNSEA' FARMERS' UNION, ARNAUD ROUSSEAU, SAYING:

“Our goal is not to bother the French people who are heading off to join their families and share moments of togetherness. We are not in the mindset of blocking. We know that this Christmas truce is important for everyone. I also want to say that it is important for us too — but we cannot honour it unless we have clear and concrete commitments. So you understand that this letter will be decisive. And then, we need to be told very clearly what the plan is for agriculture. That is expected, as I have said, between January 8 and 10.”

RENNES, FRANCE (DECEMBER 17, 2025) (FRENCH ARMED FORCES – Must on-screen courtesy ‘French Armed Forces, no re-use after January 18, 2026)

14.⁠ ⁠VACCINE BOXES BEING PREPARED

15.⁠ ⁠WORKER PLACING NOTE IN VACCINE BOX

16.⁠ ⁠WORKER PLACING VACCINE PACKETS IN BOX

17. WORKER LOADING VACCINE BOXES INTO ISOTHERMAL BOX

RENNES, FRANCE (DECEMBER 18, 2025) (FRENCH ARMED FORCES – Must on-screen courtesy ‘French Armed Forces, no re-use after January 18, 2026)

18.⁠ ⁠TRUCK WITH VACCINES DRIVING PAST AIRBUS A400M MILITARY TRANSPORT PLANE

19.⁠ ⁠VACCINES CONTAINERS BEING UNLOADED FROM TRUCK

20.⁠ ⁠VACCINE CONTAINERS LOADED ONTO PLANE

21.⁠ PLANE TAKING OFF