Agricultural crisis: the government unveils a plan worth more than a billion euros which does not convince the unions

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• Direct Agricultural crisis: “All of France must stand at the farmers' bedside”, assures Annie Genevard

The Minister of Agriculture spoke from the Châlons-en-Champagne Fair (Marne), where she defended the announcements made earlier on Friday.

What you need to know

Time to take stock. While farmers must face repeated heatwaves and a historic drought, the Minister of Agriculture announced an aid plan for the agricultural world on Friday, September 4 in the morning. “All of France must stand by the farmers,” she assured from the Châlons-en-Champagne Fair (Marne), where she defended the announcements. She notably cited “insurers, mass distribution, local and territorial authorities, and of course, the State first and foremost, which will make the greatest effort”. “And finally, the consumer, by agreeing to buy French,” she underlined. Follow our live stream.

The government announces a plan worth more than a billion euros. “Faced with a climate crisis of exceptional magnitude, the State is mobilizing to leave no farmer alone: ​​more than a billion euros to quickly compensate for losses and preserve our agricultural production potential,” affirmed Annie Genevard. “Our agricultural and food sovereignty is at stake. This is a significant effort by the nation for its farmers.”

A plan that does not convince the agricultural unions. “A real scandal” for the Peasant Confederation, “we must review the copy”, according to the FNSEA. On franceinfo, agricultural unions are skeptical.

A suitable budget. Sébastien Lecornu asked, Thursday, the Minister of Public Accounts, David Amiel, "to carry out cancellations and freezes of State expenditure". They will be carried out immediately to finance the urgent expenses that the agricultural situation requires,” reported the Prime Minister’s entourage.

#AGRICULTURE If you haven't followed the news this morning, here is a summary of the support plan for farmers unveiled by Minister Annie Genevard. On the program: accelerated compensation, extended fuel aid and a dedicated unit will be set up within the ministry to coordinate and accelerate disbursements.

#AGRICULTURE The Minister of Agriculture also details how this plan will be applied. “As of next week, the departmental prefects, under the leadership of the regional prefects, will have at their disposal an emergency support fund,” she announced. Funding so farmers can “buy what they need”.

Annie Genevard

Minister of Agriculture

“It’s the result of a very substantial effort.”

#AGRICULTURE Since the Châlons-en-Champagne fair, the Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, has defended the plan of more than a billion euros that she announced this morning to support the agricultural sector facing drought and heatwaves. A response to criticism from certain agricultural unions, including the FNSEA.

Response from Annie Genevard

Minister of Agriculture

“Everyone has their role, for me it is to find solutions, sectors will have to make efforts. The situation requires a general effort from all of society. (...) The consumer, by agreeing to buy French. All of France must stand at the farmers' side. (...) Everyone must be mobilized for our agriculture."

It's noon, we rewind the news from this Friday morning:

#AGRICULTURE The Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, revealed the broad outlines of a plan worth “more than a billion euros”, which will “compensate the losses” of farmers, but also “relaunch agricultural production”. Follow our live stream.

#AGRICULTURE Annie Genevard's announcements did not convince the agricultural unions. The Peasant Confederation considers the envelope insufficient, as does the FNSEA, which is demanding an additional billion euros.

#PERISCOLAIRE Sixteen families, who denounce sexual violence against their children, announce that they are filing a complaint against the City of Paris, the mayor Emmanuel Grégoire, and the former councilor Anne Hidalgo.

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#AGRICULTURE The consequences of the historic drought which affected France this summer can be seen even in the cities. On the plates, the size of the fries and salads already bear witness to the extreme heat which hampered the growth of the vegetables. Collateral victims of a carbonized cow floor, cheese lovers will perhaps find less Chaource or Neufchâtel on the shelves of their supermarket.

#AGRICULTURE Another farmers' union which is not convinced by the announcements of the Minister of Agriculture: the FNSEA. “We need this plan, but supplemented with at least one billion [euros] additional,” reacts on franceinfo Hervé Lapie, secretary general of the organization. Affirming that the losses for the agricultural world are estimated at around 10 billion euros, he considers the envelope planned by the government insufficient.

The head of the FNSEA regrets the absence of measures concerning insurers and bankers "to reorganize the annuities of our agricultural operations, to avoid an accident and over-indebtedness in 2027". He also calls for the immediate reopening of trade negotiations, supposed to be held from December to March.

Response from Hervé Lapie

secretary general of the organization

“When we have lost between 20 and 50% on our production, we cannot wait until March. (…) We must reopen commercial negotiations and we must balance the margins.”

#AGRICULTURE Annie Genevard's announcements did not convince the Peasant Confederation. Thomas Gibert, spokesperson for the agricultural union, assures franceinfo that his movement will mobilize "in the coming days", to "not let farms go out of business". He denounces "a real scandal" and a "first lie" on the part of the government, which according to him offers "only crumbs".

Response from Thomas Gibert

spokesperson for the Peasant Confederation

“It is not a fund of 1.2 billion which is proposed, since half [of the envelope] corresponds to the normal functioning of the national solidarity compensation system.”

Thomas Gibert believes that a “real purge of the most fragile farms” is underway, “at the cost of the biggest who are rubbing their hands”. A “universal compensation fund, which truly compensates the losses of our farms”, is necessary, he insists.

It's 10 a.m., here's a new update on this Friday's news:

#AGRICULTURE The Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, revealed the broad outlines of a plan worth “more than a billion euros”, which will “compensate the losses” of farmers linked to drought, heatwaves and fires, but also “relaunch agricultural production”. Follow our live stream.

#PERISCOLAIRE Sixteen families, who denounce sexual violence against their children, announce that they are filing a complaint against the City of Paris, the mayor Emmanuel Grégoire, and the former councilor Anne Hidalgo.

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#PRESIDENTIAL A new contender for the Elysée. The deputy for Val d'Oise Emmanuel Maurel announced, on franceinfo, his candidacy for the socialist primary for the presidential election.

#AGRICULTURE Here is a summary of Annie Genevard's main announcements, following her press conference on the emergency plan for agriculture:

She announced a plan of “more than a billion euros”, which will “compensate for losses” and “relaunch agricultural production”.

On this first axis, the executive will “add as much as necessary to national compensation” covering losses linked to the drought. “The deposits have been increased to 80%.”

A “rearmament fund”, endowed with 235 million euros “for France and the Antilles” and which will be “in the hands of the prefects”, will be created. It will notably make it possible to finance the purchase of “fodder, seeds, inputs”.

The window for assistance with the purchase of inputs is extended until the end of December, and that for assistance with the purchase of fuel will be extended until the end of October. “I also wanted to increase the amount of CAP advances from 70 to 75%”, or “420 million in cash which will arrive more quickly”.

#AGRICULTURE Asked about the risk of farm bankruptcies, after a summer marked by drought and extreme heat, the Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard explains that "30,000 to 35,000 farms are fragile or threaten to be so".