Against a backdrop of total improvisation and excitement, Emmanuel Macron revealed his responses to farmers’ expectations in two stages, on the occasion of the inauguration of the Agricultural Show, Saturday February 24, Porte de Versailles in Paris.
First, in front of journalists’ microphones, at 9 a.m., after a small breakfast with representatives of agricultural unions. Then during a mini-debate organized impromptu with farmers selected by the different unions. The wearers of yellow caps, members of the Rural Coordination rubbed shoulders with those dressed in white t-shirts bearing the slogan “We march on our heads”, members of the unions of the National Federation of Farmers’ Unions (FNSEA) and Young Farmers (JA).
Mr. Macron, more or less, gave the same speech two hours apart. He first wanted to underline the strength of “firm France”. “We have a solid agricultural model” And “in 2021 and 2022, average farmer incomes have been historically high”he said, recalling that French agriculture received 10.2 billion euros in European and national aid each year.
However, he recognized that certain farms and certain sectors were fragile. While he rejected the request made by Rural Coordination for a “blank year” allowing loan repayments to be postponed by one year with interest covered, he announced a “emergency cash flow plan” to relieve farmers.
Implementation of “cash flow plans”
“As of Monday, the ministers here present with me [de l’agriculture, Marc Fesneau, et la ministre déléguée, Agnès Pannier-Runacher], with their colleague from economics and finance [Bruno Le Maire], will bring together banks and all sectors to be able to implement these cash flow plans. » He specified that sectors other than agriculture were concerned, such as crafts or construction. “We will launch a census in each region of farms which are in the greatest cash flow difficulties in order to be able to support them”he added.
On the central subject of farmers’ mobilizations for a month, remuneration, he spoke of “floor prices”, a theme carried by the Confédération Paysanne union. The head of state formulated the objective “so we can get out” on “floor prices which will protect agricultural income”, as part of the preparation of a new law governing relations between food stakeholders and intended to better distribute value. The commitment to a new version of Egalim, called Egalim 4, was announced by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on Wednesday, with a deadline of the end of June.
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