The vote on the new agricultural policy law just before the opening of the Salon International de l'Agriculture in Paris on Saturday, February 22, has come at just the right time to ease some of the tensions that have plagued the farming world for several months. However, by opting for major principles that are difficult to apply, such as the recognition of agriculture as being of "major general interest," and various short-term measures, this text appears above all to be a missed opportunity to initiate the ecological transition of a sector that both suffers from and feeds the effects of climate change, biodiversity erosion and soil impoverishment. The central issues of income and value sharing were also sidestepped.
Demonstrations and pressure from the main trade union organizations have steered legislators more in the direction of perpetuating an agricultural model that's running out of steam than towards a paradigm shift. Yet this shift seems unavoidable in the face of declining yields, a demographic crisis and farms vulnerable to international competition.
In addition to the weakness of its ecological ambitions, the agricultural policy law also contains a number of backward steps, such as the decriminalization of damage to protected species, even though this is governed by European law. The final text does not even mention agro-ecological transition, perceived as a taboo word. Yet it is recognized in international scientific studies as a solution that brings greater resilience, mitigates global warming and produces sufficient quantities to feed populations.
The levers for change are well known
By siding with some of the arguments of the most vocal unions, elected representatives give the impression of a monolithic agriculture, entirely devoted to production methods that are no longer sustainable. However, as shown by a December 2024 survey of 8,000 farmers by the think tank The Shift Project, a large majority of them are fully aware of the vulnerabilities of their farms, and are ready to change their practices provided they are given the means to do so, and the right ecosystem is created for the emergence of a different kind of agriculture.
The levers for change are well known. Numerous examples show that a more diversified agriculture, free of synthetic fertilizers and less dependent on external inputs, can be viable. But such practices cannot become widespread without a minimum of political mobilization to support farmers.
To achieve this, we need to explain, train and secure opportunities and incomes, in order to move away from a model that has reached a dead end. The social and political events of recent months show that France is still a long way off the mark, passing off as solutions a return to outdated practices, and thus delaying an inescapable transition.
Farmers' anger is often the expression of a legitimate feeling of abandonment by public authorities, who overwhelm them with contradictory injunctions. Rather than give in to the demagoguery of a return to the past, we need to encourage initiatives to adapt to climate change, support the spread of best practices and set a clear, coherent course. This should be the mission of an agricultural policy law – the one adopted on Thursday, February 20 was in name only.