Remember Jose Bove, European agriculture's old poster boy The sheep farmer and antiglobalization activist who spent his time doing things like dismantling McDonald's stores was a folk hero among Europe's 13 million farmers for his fight against foreign food imports. Powerful farm lobbies—backed by the government of France—fought EU reforms designed to open up Europe's coddled and regimented agricultural sector to greater market forces. Now, as Europe's farmers see rising profits, many of the same agro activists are singing a very different tune. The German Farmers' Union, a well-connected lobbying organization whose functionaries long beat the same drum as the French for protection and subsidies, now says its members are eagerly embracing "global market freedom."