The largest French farmers union, FNSEA, organized a protest earlier today in which farmers spread old tires and hay on the Champs-Elysees and torched them. It was a group of about 150 grain farmers, and they picked one of the world's most famous shopping streets to call attention to the fact that their costs of production are way above the market price of their crops. The grain protest come just a week or so after French and Belgian dairymen were spilling milk onto the fields and streets.

Agriculture is one of the most sheltered industries in the European Union, but the governments of France and the other 26 nations in the EU haven't been able to protect the farmers from the world's economic meltdown.

There's a story about the situation by Associated Press Writer Rachael Kurowski here.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gRRNSX_sgIX_niwsQ4vLEG9ziEKAD9BC5JD80

A couple of dairymen in the Northeast have launched a class action suit against DFA, Dean Foods, Dairy Marketing Services and HP Hood, accusing them of dominating and manipulating the milk marketplace to the detriment of farmers. Associated Press wirter Dave Gram reports on the suit from Montpelier, Vermont. His story is on page one of the Lancaster Farming edition due in your mailbox tomorrow.

Somebody needs to get a life. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1yv0ETlEls