Finally something concrete.
The first decrees promised by Gabriel Attal's government to help farmers, one on diesel and the other on compensation for breeders affected by epizootic hemorrhagic disease, appeared this Sunday in the Official Journal.
The first decree will allow farmers to request, from this month of February, an advance of 50% on the partial reimbursement of the excise on energy products (ex-TICPE) concerning in particular non-road diesel (GNR), main fuel for agricultural machinery, for the year 2024. Previously, this reimbursement only took place the year following the expenses.
Gabriel Attal announced this change during his first round of responses to the agricultural crisis, on January 26.
The Agricultural Show, deadline for making the announcements a reality
This will allow farmers to have “a cash advance of several months”, explained the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire on Thursday during Gabriel Attal's press conference.
“This advance, up to 50% of the agricultural reimbursement paid each year from 2024 to 2029, will give rise to an annual payment from February.
The advance request will be made by the operator in one go at the same time as the annual reimbursement request.
The amount of the advance will be deducted from the partial reimbursement granted the following year,” indicates the decree dated February 2 and which comes into force from Monday.
Gabriel Attal also announced that he was renouncing the gradual increase in taxation on non-road diesel, which should have come into force this year.
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The second decree was eagerly awaited by cattle breeders, affected for several months by epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EMD).
In particular, it will allow an increase in the rate of coverage of veterinary costs, which goes from 80 to 90%.
Losses linked to animal mortality will also be compensated up to 90%, according to a scale of amounts established according to the nature (dairy cow, breeding male, etc.) and the age of the animal.
“Applications for aid can be submitted until April 30, 2024,” the decree indicates.
Following the government's latest announcements on Thursday, the FNSEA and the Young Farmers, who had joined the blockade movement initiated in the South-West, called for the lifting of the blockades.
Farmers have given the government until the Agricultural Show (February 24-March 3, in Paris) to implement its announcements and are demanding a law by June.