Photos : “Dark Milk”

09 September 2015

Christian Lenoir is a farmer based in Hombourg, Belgium not far from Liege. His farm produces milk exclusively. The selling prices imposed by the European Commission are far too low for his activity to be profitable. The fruit of his labor is sold every day at a loss. Every morning and evening he milks his 70 cows for about two hours.

The frustrations within the community of farmers across Europe are numerous. A European protest took place on September 7, 2015 in the European quarter of Brussels, Belgium. Over 2,000 tractors were expected to converge in Brussels to voice the demands of European farmers.

Early morning, Cows in a farm located in Hombourg, Belgium, are waiting to be milked. September 6th, 2015 © Valentin Bianchi
Early morning, Cows in a farm located in Hombourg, Belgium, are waiting to be milked, September 6th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Christian Lenoir during the morning milking of his cows, the farm is located in Hombourg in Liège's province. September 6th, 2015 © Valentin Bianchi
Christian Lenoir during the morning milking of his cows, the farm is located in Hombourg in Liège’s province. September 6th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Cows in the farm of Christian Lenoir located in Hombourg, Belgium. September 6th, 2015 © Valentin Bianchi
Cows in the farm of Christian Lenoir located in Hombourg, Belgium. September 6th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Christian Lenoir during the morning milking of his cows, the farm is located in Hombourg in Liège's province. September 6th, 2015 © Valentin Bianchi
Christian Lenoir during the morning milking of his cows, the farm is located in Hombourg in Liège’s province. September 6th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Cows in a farm located in Hombourg, Belgium, are waiting to be milked. Milking take two hours of job each morning and each evening. September 6th, 2015 © Valentin Bianchi
Cows in a farm located in Hombourg, Belgium, are waiting to be milked. Milking take two hours of job each morning and each evening. September 6th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Christian Lenoir during the morning milking of his cows, the farm is located in Hombourg in Liège's province. September 6th, 2015 © Valentin Bianchi
Christian Lenoir during the morning milking of his cows, the farm is located in Hombourg in Liège’s province. September 6th, 2015.© 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Early morning in a farm located in Hombourg, Belgium. The mother of Christian Lenoir needs to help her son for the daily work. September 6th, 2015. © Valentin Bianchi
Early morning in a farm located in Hombourg, Belgium. The mother of Christian Lenoir needs to help her son for the daily work. September 6th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Column of tractors on the E40 highway towards Brussels, Belgium. A huge european protest with farmers from Europe will take place the day after. More than 2000 tractors are expected in Brussels. September 6th, 2015. © Valentin Bianchi
Column of tractors on the E40 highway towards Brussels, Belgium. A huge european protest with farmers from Europe will take place the day after. More than 2000 tractors are expected in Brussels. September 6th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Christian Lenoir received a request from Médecins Sans Frontières Belgium, they ask him to bring some milk to help refugees in the camp of Maximilien's park in Brussels, Belgium. September 6th, 2015. © Valentin Bianchi
Christian Lenoir received a request from Médecins Sans Frontières Belgium, they ask him to bring some milk to help refugees in the camp of Maximilien’s parc in Brussels, Belgium. September 6th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Thousands of European farmers have converged to Brussels for the event to protest against falling prices. Here, farmers from BoerenBond wait the start of the protest. September 7th, 2015. © Valentin Bianchi
Thousands of European farmers have converged to Brussels for the event to protest against falling prices. Here, farmers from BoerenBond wait the start of the protest. September 7th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Thousands of European farmers have converged to Brussels for the event to protest against falling prices. The tractors have blocked most streets of Brussels' European district. September 7th, 2015. © Valentin Bianchi
Thousands of European farmers have converged to Brussels for the event to protest against falling prices. The tractors have blocked most streets of Brussels’ European district. September 7th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Police wearing riot gear and holding shields stand in front of a barricade as they protect european buildings in Brussels  during a protest by EU dairy farmers. September 7th, 2015. © Valentin Bianchi
Police wearing riot gear and holding shields stand in front of a barricade as they protect european buildings in Brussels during a protest by EU dairy farmers. September 7th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Police wearing riot gear and holding shields stand in front of a burning barricade as they protect the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium during a protest by EU dairy farmers. September 7th, 2015. © Valentin Bianchi
Police wearing riot gear and holding shields stand in front of a burning barricade as they protect the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium during a protest by EU dairy farmers. September 7th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
Some farmers, angry and frustrated by the lack of reaction of the European Commission provoke the policemen by throwing stones on Schuman's roundabout in Brussels, Belgium. September 7th, 2015. © Valentin Bianchi
Some farmers, angry and frustrated by the lack of reaction of the European Commission provoke the policemen by throwing stones on Schuman’s roundabout in Brussels, Belgium. September 7th, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
At the end of the protest, the stigma clashes between farmers and police forces are many. Here, a caravan abandoned by protesters on the Schuman roundabout in Brussels, Belgium. September 7h, 2015. © Valentin Bianchi
At the end of the protest, the stigma clashes between farmers and police forces are many. Here, a caravan abandoned by protesters on the Schuman roundabout in Brussels, Belgium. September 7h, 2015. © 2015 Valentin Bianchi.
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