The Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, who had spoken for three more hours the day before, at the end of the day, with the presidents of the National Federation of Farmers’ Unions (FNSEA) and Young Farmers (JA), promised to ‘” to be at the meeting “, faced with the anger of farmers, during his general policy speech to the National Assembly, Tuesday January 30. He called for “a French agricultural exception”emphasizing that “our agriculture is a strength”and greeted “our farmers, our fishermen, who work morning, noon and evening to feed us”.
The Prime Minister recalled the main measures he announced on Friday January 26, such as the opening, on February 5, of an aid window for breeders affected by epizootic hemorrhagic disease or the doubling of support for Breton farmers. . He specified the schedule for payment of the balance of European aid from the common agricultural policy (CAP), for 2023, which will be “by March 15”.
Gabriel Attal also mentioned a strengthening of tax support for breeders, a measure which had been announced by Bercy but had proven to be inapplicable in practice. And confirmed the presentation of an aid plan for viticulture before the end of the week.
“Food sovereignty” in the law
Concerning the use of phytosanitary products, he recalled that the State had released an envelope of 250 million euros to encourage the search for alternatives. On the subject of EGalim, the head of government highlighted the strengthening of controls and announced that the amount of fines imposed would be “reused to financially support farmers”.
In addition, it provides “a major product traceability control plan”, while farmers denounce competition from imported foodstuffs. Mr. Attal stressed that “the fight must be fought in Europe” and recalled that the agricultural crisis would not be resolved ” in a few days “. “We will go even further”he assured, adding that he would register “food sovereignty”in the law.
He also mentioned “new support measures” In “the next few days”. He also agreed to receive the FNSEA once again on Tuesday evening, while farmers still remain mobilized on the ground. Mr. Attal’s speech did not offer “no long-term perspective” to the peasant world, according to the Peasant Confederation, which demands “ the ban on purchasing below the cost price of our agricultural products » and calls for blocking distribution purchasing centers. The Rural Coordination, for its part, continued its route towards Rungis on Wednesday.