French farmers back off from blockade as agri minister makes promises

In France, farmers have begun to end their blockades as oil refineries and depots that led to more than 100 stations running dry of fuel after the agriculture minister agreed to some of their demands. The blockade was to force Total to boost its use of domestic oils, preferably from rapeseed but also from used cooking oil, rather than importing palm oil for its La Mede biorefinery. The company agreed to use 50,000 metric tons of rapeseed for feedstock but farmers want that level increased.