At the conclusion of a round table in the Creuse with representatives of this agricultural sector, the Prime Minister announced the release of 60 million euros in emergency aid.
This money should make it possible to mitigate certain effects of the coronavirus crisis but Jean Castex also recalled that a "restructuring of the sector" was essential.
Jean Castex announced on Saturday the release of 60 million euros in emergency aid to the most troubled breeders, who earned less than 11,000 euros in 2020, while encouraging the sector to continue to restructure.
"We cannot abandon you", stressed the Prime Minister.
"The Covid crisis has given rise to difficult and precarious situations".
A situation which is not due only to the health crisis since the breeders regularly denounce the fact that they have to sell their animals at a price lower than their production costs.
The strong impact of the Covid crisis
"For all the breeders who earned less than 11,000 euros in 2020 and who suffered significant losses, which represents 18,000 farms, (...) we are going to set up an exceptional financial support system that will cover up to 80% of operating losses, "said the Prime Minister at the conclusion of a round table in the Creuse with representatives of this agricultural sector.
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"This means an envelope of 60 million (euros) which will be added to the envelope provided for in the recovery plan (...) of 50 million for the restructuring of the sector, actions that I want to link", he added.
In the stimulus plan presented in early September, the government provides a total of 1.2 billion for the agriculture and food sector.
The importance of restructuring
"It's a whole. There is an emergency situation, we must () respond to it. But emergency aid will not solve anything" for the livestock sector, "these sectors must still continue to operate. improve, especially in the meat sector, to better structure, "insisted Mr. Castex.
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Celebrated by the political authorities for having continued to feed the French at the height of the health crisis, farmers remain faced with a multitude of challenges and unease that remains, deprived again this year of their showcase of the Agricultural Show for cause of Covid-19.
Beyond livestock, the income of French farms fell in 2020, estimated INSEE at the end of December, a consequence of poor harvests of cereals and beets, but also of the drop in cash flow from pig farms and bovine (milk and meat).
A cattle farmer earned an average of 700 euros per month in 2020
The National Bovine Federation (FNB) recently calculated that a beef farmer earned an average of 8,000 euros in 2020, or less than 700 euros per month.
The excess mortality from suicide is also "particularly marked among cattle breeders (milk and meat) aged 45 to 54", according to the FNB.
Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie for his part indicated the government's desire to bring into force from September 1 this year, instead of 2022, the revaluation of farmers' pensions from 75 to 85% of the minimum wage, voted by Parliament in June.
He promised "changes" to the Food Law, recalling however that "the law can not fix the price" of agricultural products but that the government had "increased the penalties" against distributors.