In Saône-et-Loire, placed on an enhanced red alert due to a severe drought, farmers are no longer allowed to irrigate their crops. Between concern and resignation, those encountered by Europe 1 bear witness to increasingly frequent episodes. 

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Prohibition to fill swimming pools, wash cars, water plants ... But also irrigate crops. In Saône-et-Loire, placed on a red alert reinforced for a few days due to an episode of drought, farmers are having a difficult start to summer. In Bresse-sur-Grosne, where Europe 1 went, the usually green and fatty grass has roasted under the onslaught of the sun and the hollows where cows normally drink are dried. 

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"I will not let my animals die of thirst"

Sébastien Philippon is thus forced to abandon his cultures to feed his animals, who have nothing to drink or eat. "I bring water in my meadows, it's already the second time," he says. "I think I'm going to do this all summer. And while I'm doing this, I'm not doing anything else ... It's time, it's money, it's getting dramatic."

The breeder thus falls behind on his other tasks. "Normally I had to bring in my straw, but it will wait until tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. I'm not going to let my animals die of thirst and hunger."

>> READ ALSO - Works, fodder exchange: how farmers and individuals adapt to drought

"It's already been the third consecutive year"

In the neighboring farm, Guillaume Pautet portrays an increasingly difficult job, and points out the effects of climate change. "It's already been the third year in a row," he sighs. "A cow is not made to eat only dry food, normally at this time it eats green grass, richer in cellulose. But that is the problem of dry summers. From year to year it will be necessary to getting used to it will always be like that. "

Crops also suffer from the lack of water, in particular corn: without heavy rain in the next few days, the harvest in Saône-et-Loire, where the State has just recognized the state of natural disaster in 200 municipalities for last year's drought is likely to be insignificant.