French farmers have stepped up their violent attacks on trucks hauling imported livestock in a protest that has divided France's Government and renewed tensions with Britain.

Jolted by a drought and declining meat prices, France's cattle and sheep farmers have stormed Government buildings and hijacked more than 20 trucks over the past month as they demand $1 billion in emergency aid.

But French budget officials, already worried about rising oil prices and the cost of deploying troops to the Persian Gulf, say they do not have the money. When Agriculture Minister Henri Nallet, the main target of the farmers' wrath, indicated that he wanted to provide more aid, Budget Minister Michel Charasse publicly asked him where the money would come from.

The protest by the French farmers continues despite a $225 million aid package announced by the Government two weeks ago. Under the aid program, which has been denounced by the farmers as inadequate, the Government is assuming more of the costs of farm loans and has agreed to subsidize some of the farmers' grain purchases.