France will release 725 million euros for its agricultural recovery plan, particularly in the face of climate change

In France, one in two fruits consumed is imported. To reduce this dependence and help farms cope with climate change, the government is planning an agricultural recovery plan of 725 million euros for 2027.

After a summer marked by episodes of extreme heat which severely affected crops and livestock, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard clarified the contours of this envelope on Wednesday. It comes in addition to the billion euros of the agricultural emergency plan, called “Casi”, announced at the start of the school year.

An initial envelope of 100 million euros should help farmers equip themselves against extreme climatic episodes. Water tanks, ventilation systems on farms, anti-hail nets and even drip irrigation could in particular be financed.

The government also plans to extend the agricultural hydraulic fund, endowed with 60 million euros, into 2027, which was initially due to end this year. Another envelope of 100 million will be used to guarantee a billion euros in loans to support the adaptation of farms.

The second component, with 400 million euros, aims to develop agricultural and agri-food production in several priority sectors, such as poultry, fruit and vegetables or cheese. The objective is to strengthen French food sovereignty, while imports are increasing and the agricultural trade surplus has been declining for several years.

The needs are particularly great in certain sectors. The poultry industry estimates that 280 new henhouses should be built per year by 2035 for meat production, in addition to the 14,000 existing ones. Around 900 agricultural and industrial project intentions have already been identified by the ministry, including tomato processing or mustard production units.

Finally, the third axis concerns the renewal of generations. Tax advantages should facilitate the transfer of farms, both for retiring farmers and for young or recently established buyers. An important issue given that half of the farmers recorded in 2020 will have reached retirement age by 2030.

More generally, the government is also counting on its “simplification” measures to facilitate projects, labeled or not. The publication of the implementing texts of the emergency law on water storage or on the reform of environmental authorization applied to livestock farming are also expected before the end of the year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Machine-translated from French