Agriculture: what do the “additional” measures announced by the government contain?

The executive branch clearly wants to turn the page on a dangerous political situation. The government unveiled this Saturday “additional” measures for farmers in the hope of ending for good the crisis that caused exceptional lockdowns at the beginning of the year and continues to smolder among farmers.

The measures include a promised “early May” presentation of the final version of Ecophyto’s pesticide reduction plan, delayed by the agricultural crisis, new financial aid for farms, and the acceleration of 100 industrial water storage projects. or irrigation, as well as a relief plan for three departments affected by weather crises (Eastern Pyrenees, Aude, Hérault).

Gabriel Attal in the English Channel

The government also confirms that the reform of agricultural pensions, the technical implementation of which has been discussed, will come into force in 2026. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, for his part, is expected on Saturday in Manches in Piru, where he will attend a “fair of trumpeters”. then gardening.

These measures, which complement the 62 commitments already presented by the head of government, aim to put an end to the historic agricultural crisis of this winter, which continued after mobilizations organized throughout France in January and February – until the agricultural exhibition at which the head of state was widely booed , and clashes broke out between security forces and farmers.

“General answer”

They “really make it possible to arrive at a global response to the concerns expressed by farmers and to enter a phase that is no longer a phase of mobilization,” the government source emphasizes. Even if a potential meeting between agricultural unions and Emmanuel Macron “will largely depend on the reaction of the various unions to this new package,” we add.

Some agricultural unions are talking about a possible meeting with the president on May 2, but the Elysee Palace has not confirmed this information at this stage. The first meeting with Emmanuel Macron, scheduled for March, was postponed. The Elysee Palace announced that the president would accept the unions “when all the work done by the government allows the president to complete the sequence of actions.”

Gabriel Attal received several times the agricultural unions, which on March 19 presented him with five “blocks” of priorities relating to breeding, water and pesticide storage, “competitiveness”, treasury and agricultural pensions. The government and farmers have “agreed on a new strategy” for the Ecophyto 2030 plan, which will be published “at the beginning of May” and accepts the government’s commitment to now be based on the European indicator rather than the French one that has been used until now. The change in method is condemned by several non-governmental organizations, which criticize the European indicator for being less clear in differentiating the harmfulness of pesticides.

Adaptation to climate change

For farmers’ cash flow, state investment bank BPI France will provide “new financing totaling up to €5 million” in the form of personal cash loans (up to €75,000) or loan guarantees from private banks. For example, it was stated. The government also plans to increase the rate of tax relief for undeveloped properties in the event of a climate or health disaster.

In the longer term, the government plans to launch a “support” plan for farmers in the Eastern Pyrenees, Aude and Hérault particularly affected by drought, frost or floods, which will allocate 50 million euros for climate adaptation projects. change and development of local sectors.

The government has also committed to fast-track 100 agricultural or irrigation water storage projects to be “completed by the end of 2024.” Types of projects that are highly controversial among environmental associations. The Executive Branch has finally confirmed the implementation of the agricultural pension reform, the calculation method of which had been discussed, “from 2026” for the 25 best years of a career.