Farming protests, plow into Italy.

Hello, you're listening to the Marketplace Morning Report live from the BBC World Service.

I'm Leanna Byrne and a very good morning to you.

The protests, they began in Poland in spring last year, now they spread across Europe,

including in the Eurozone's biggest economies, Germany and France. Now Italian farmers are threatening

to bring Rome to a stand still. They say they're taking a stand

against red tape, higher costs and competition from cheaper foreign imports. The BBC's

Mark Loan is in Rome, sheltering from the wind behind a tractor.

Hi Mark.

Hi, Leanna.

Mark, what's going on?

I believe farmers were actually protesting at a music festival last night.

It's been quite a few days of tractors and farmers waiting for their next move actually.

I mean I'm now just beyond the Ring Road of Rome and there are about 400 tractors here they estimate

Waving their Italian flags with various slogans and banners one I'm looking at now says

In my future future my future is your future

another one is talking about you know we are the ones who create the food it's not

made in factories and they have asked for a meeting with the Agriculture Minister and indeed with the Prime Minister

and unless they get a meeting with either Minister, they have said that they will go into Rome

and start blocking streets in Rome.

When it comes down to their demands,

they are largely shared with the other protesting farmers in Europe.

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