Until Monday, more than 200,000 people are expected to visit Libramont, in the province of Luxembourg, for the annual Agricultural Fair. Despite the fierce farmers’ protests earlier this year, no major incidents are expected at the 88th edition of the event. Walloon minister-president Adrien Dolimont stressed at the opening that “farmers are a partner for the Walloon government”.
The area of 100,000 square metres at the fair will feature more than 700 exhibitors, 4,000 manufacturers and 2,800 animals. This makes the Libramont event one of the largest open-air agricultural fairs in Europe. About forty per cent of the exhibitors are from Flanders.
It’s expected that the fair will be able to run relatively quietly, despite the fact that farmers took to the streets en masse earlier this year to express their dissatisfaction with numerous issues. Limited income, administrative red tape and difficulties in acquiring land at affordable prices amongst others led to strong protests. In Flanders, there was furthermore discontent over the nitrogen policy. But after a series of consultations and the 9 June elections, the farmers’ anger seems to have calmed down somewhat.
Walloon minister-president Adrien Dolimont stressed at the opening of the fair that “farmers are a partner for the Walloon government” and that “the three key words when we want to talk about agriculture are ‘evaluating, listening and simplifying’”. “Administrative simplification should restore the trust between the administration, politicians and citizens,” he added.
The focus of this edition of the fair lies in sharing knowledge about innovative and sustainable solutions. For example at the ‘Mecanic Show’, where 14 innovative machines will be presented. These include, for example, a tractor powered entirely by methane or a system to increase visibility and eliminate blind spots.
The Agricultural Fair takes place from Friday to Monday, but the event is extended for two more days with the ‘Demo Forest’ event, dedicated to forestry and the wood industry. For that event, tens of thousands more people are expected on 30 and 31 July in the Bertrix forest, not far from Libramont.
The full programme can be found at https://www.foiredelibramont.com/en/
Walloon minister-president Adrien Dolimont at the opening session of the 88th Libramont Agricultural Fair © BELGA PHOTO JULIEN BALTUS
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