Agriculture: Gabriel Attal assures that “things are progressing” and cajoles the breeders

Europe 1 with AFP // Photo credit: SANDRINE MARTY / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 4:14 p.m., February 15, 2024

Visiting a cattle farm in Janvilliers, in Marne, on Thursday, Gabriel Attal took stock of the measures announced to end the agricultural crisis, assuring that "things are progressing" and announcing "first payments this week" for the farms. affected by epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD).

Farmers maintain pressure on government

Fifteen days after announcing measures for farmers, the Prime Minister returned to the field to defend his action. “Things are progressing at the national level,” he said, in particular for the “ten simplification measures” concerning, among other things, “the cleaning of waterways” and “the reduction of time limits for appeals.” Four decrees have “already been issued”, three others were transmitted “at the beginning of the week to the Council of State” or will be “in the very next few days”, he said. The three remaining measures "come under the law" that the government "will present around the agricultural show", which will begin on February 24 in Paris.

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In the meantime, cattle farmers affected by MHE will begin to receive the promised aid. “It took a long time to arrive,” admitted Gabriel Attal, but “the counters are open” and “the first payments will take place this week”, so that “by the end of the month, we will have a significant number of breeders who may have been compensated. At the local level too, “it must move forward quickly”, insisted the Prime Minister. Meetings between prefects and unions brought up "900 proposals on national and local standards" and "in just a fortnight, we have reached around sixty prefectural decrees throughout France which have already been modified or repealed" , he stressed.

Since the lifting of the blockades, farmers have maintained pressure on the government and threatened further action. The head of government was, however, able to measure the scale of the work remaining to be accomplished, by listening to the couple of young breeders who welcomed him. “We can't continue like this, it's very hard, very complicated. Small farms are failing, we need help,” the woman told him, very moved. “We work 55-60 hours a week and we can’t make 1,000 euros each,” added her husband.