Table of Contents
Farmers in many European countries are worried about low pay, new rules, and cheap goods from other countries.
The farmers are protesting in different ways. In Poland, tractors drove down a street and across a bridge into Germany. In Italy, farmers started big fires at night. Farmers in Greece and on the Dutch–Belgian border blocked roads.
But in France, farmers started to remove their roadblocks around Paris on Friday. The French farmers stopped their protests after the government promised them over €400 million. The money is to help with the problems of low earnings and unfair competition from other countries.
Romania’s government also made a deal with farmers and truck drivers to end three weeks of protests. In Romania, they were upset about high business costs. Many farmers and truck drivers had been slowing down or blocking traffic on big roads near cities, including the capital, Bucharest.
Farmers have different problems in different countries. In Germany, they are planning to stop tax breaks on diesel used in farming. In the Netherlands, farmers have to reduce nitrogen emissions.
But many problems are the same in all countries. Farmers say they are getting less money for what they sell, costs are going up, there are too many new rules, big retail stores have too much power, climate change, and cheap goods from other countries are all problems.
Costs for things like energy, fertilizer, and transport have gone up in many EU countries, especially since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Vocabulary
- Farmer – a person who owns, manages or works on a farm
- Worry – to be/feel concerned or nervous; to be troubled; to think a lot about a negative situation; a little scared
- Pay – The money you receive for doing a job or work;
- Goods – Things that people make or grow to sell;
- Protest – an event where people come together to show strong disapproval/disagreement about something; demonstration; rally
- Tractor – A big machine like a truck used on a farm to pull or move things
- Dutch – from or related to the Netherlands; Something or someone from the Netherlands
- Belgian – Something or someone from Belgium
- Border – the line that separates two countries; the line where two countries meet; the edge or outside part of an area
- Block – to stop or prevent something from happening or moving forward; to prevent/stop someone or something from passing through
- Remove – to take out; to take away from; take off; to stop; to eliminate
- Roadblock – a barrier; something in your way; something slowing you down; something that blocks a road so cars can’t pass
- Government – the group of people who have the authority to make and enforce laws and manage a country or region; the people/group that manage and operate a country
- Promise – To say you will definitely do something
- Million – 1,000,000 = one-million
- Earnings – The money that you make from your job;
- Unfair competition – Not playing or working in a fair or equal way; when a business competitor has more power because their government gives them money or they have less taxes
- Make a deal – To agree to do something in exchange for something else; conclude a negotiation; to agree to a plan
- Upset – Feeling sad, angry, or disappointed about something
- Costs – the amount of money needed for a business or to do a particular job; money spent to operate a business
- Capital – the most important city or town of a country or region, usually the location of the government
- Tax break – A reduction in the amount of taxes you have to pay; when the government lets you pay less taxes
- Diesel – a special type of motor that uses thick fuel (both the motor and fuel are called diesel)
- Reduce – to make less; make smaller; decrease; bring down; shrink
- Nitrogen – chemical element N; a gas that is in the air we breathe
- Emissions – gas, heat, or light that is released or sent out; often refers to pollution from burning fuel
- Retail store – a shop where people can buy things
- Climate change – the fast and dangerous change in weather happening around the world
- Energy – fuel; electricity; power; oil
- Fertilizer – Something you add to soil/dirt to help plants grow
- Transport – to move goods or people from one place to another
- The European Union (EU) – 27 countries in Europe that work closely together
- Invade – to attack and enter a place/country using military force
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think the farmers are worried about low pay, new rules, and cheap goods from other countries?
- How do you feel about the different ways the farmers are protesting?
- Do you think blocking roads is an effective way for farmers to express their concerns? Why or why not?
- How might climate change affect farming, and what can be done to help it?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
Farmers in many _____ countries are worried about low pay, new rules, and _____ goods from other countries.
The _____ are protesting in different ways. In _____, tractors drove down a street and across a bridge into _____. In Italy, farmers started big fires at night. Farmers in _____ and on the Dutch-Belgian border blocked _____.
But in France, farmers started to _____ their roadblocks around Paris on Friday. The French farmers _____ their protests after the government promised them over €_____ million. The money is to help with the problems of low _____ and unfair competition from other countries.
Romania’s _____ also made a deal with farmers and truck drivers to end three weeks of _____. In Romania, they were upset about high _____ costs. Many farmers and truck drivers had been slowing down or _____ traffic on big roads near cities, including the _____, Bucharest.
Farmers have _____ problems in different countries. In Germany, they are planning to stop tax _____ on diesel used in farming. In the _____, farmers have to reduce nitrogen emissions.
But many problems are the _____ in all countries. Farmers say they are getting less money for what they sell, _____ are going up, there are too many new rules, big retail _____ have too much power, climate change, and _____ goods from other countries are all problems.
Costs for things like _____, fertilizer, and transport have gone up in many EU _____, especially since Russia invaded Ukraine in February _____.
