France unveils €725 million plan to revitalize agriculture

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, alongside Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard, presented the plan, emphasizing that approximately half of the funding remains contingent on the outcome of budget debates in 2027. Lecornu stated that agriculture will be a “major” lever for compromise in the budget process, warning that failure to secure approval could delay the funds until 2027. He cautioned that farmers would quickly remember those who attempted to obstruct the plan, referencing recent agricultural protests.

The FNSEA, a leading agricultural union, has urged that agriculture not be “taken hostage” by political budget games.

According to Genevard, €100 million of the total will fund an equipment grant program to help farms withstand climate-related challenges, such as water tanks, ventilation systems for livestock, hail nets, and drip irrigation. The agricultural hydraulic fund, created in 2025 to finance climate adaptation, will be extended in 2027 with an additional €60 million.

Another €100 million will be used to guarantee 80% of a total of €1 billion in loans. The plan also includes €400 million to support “agricultural future projects,” designed to strengthen production in priority sectors like poultry, fruits and vegetables, and cheese. These projects stem from “sovereignty conferences” launched a year ago.

Despite remaining France’s leading export sector (€84.2 billion in 2025), the country’s trade surplus has been declining. Currently, one in two fruits consumed are imported, and poultry meat production has decreased by nearly 30% since 1997, while demand has increased by 35%.

These future projects, enshrined in a summer agricultural emergency law, will be labeled and receive prioritized financial and technical support, described by Genevard as “agricultural Notre-Dames.” €350 million of the €400 million in public support will come from the France 2030 investment program launched by Emmanuel Macron in 2021, ensuring it’s not tied to the 2027 budget.

However, the Court of Auditors recently expressed concerns about the “high financing needs” of France 2030 within a “degraded budgetary context.”

Over the past year, agricultural sectors have been asked to list production needs for the next decade and propose plans by region. For example, the poultry sector estimates needing 280 new poultry houses annually by 2035, in addition to the 14,000 already existing, requiring an investment of €2.8 billion. Approximately 900 projects have been identified, including tomato processing plants, mustard production facilities, and fish farms.

These projects, led by farmers, cooperatives, or companies, will be selected by committees chaired by the prefect and regional council president. The Young Farmers Association (JA) believes these projects offer “concrete perspectives” for breaking the cycle of crises. Jocelyn Dubost, president of JA, has encouraged all stakeholders to participate.

The government also plans to simplify project approval processes. It has promised to publish implementing texts by the end of the year, focusing on water storage and environmental authorization reform for livestock farming. The Peasant Confederation highlighted the potential of some projects, such as local abattoirs and milk valorization, but cautioned that individual projects do not constitute a policy and that 200 industrial poultry houses will not replace the 200 farms that disappear each week. Finally, the plan aims to facilitate farm transfers through tax incentives for retiring farmers and new or young farmers.

Approximately half of the farmers counted in 2020 are expected to reach retirement age by 2030.