The Agricultural Show is to political staff what the World Cup is for footballers. A crucial meeting, where everything is scrutinized, commented on, criticized. The kind of moments that make and break a career. So, for his third participation as Head of State, Emmanuel Macron decided to bet on listening and cuddling. " Farmers illustrate the attachment to work, which with school and health, are the fundamentals of what I believe in, " he coaxed straight away, in an interview with several titles from the daily press. regional, published Friday.
This year, the objective will clearly not be to renew the marathon of more than 14 hours in 2019, we are assured at the Élysée. There will also be no speech. The president chose another position: to play the ramparts against the environmental denigration of which the farmers are victims. This famous "agribashing" which brought up the tractors in Paris last November. “ Tensions are felt on animal husbandry and animal welfare, on agriculture and the use of pesticides. I will not tolerate any violence against farmers ”, continued the tenant of the Élysée.
Read also: The Agricultural Show is from de Gaulle the must for presidents
As we have entered the second half of the five-year period, Emmanuel Macron hopes to show the progress made since his Rungis speech of 2017. A founding speech in his relationship with the countryside, in which he promised to improve the lot of farmers. Since then, the food law released from the States General of Food in 2018 has brought notable improvements, especially in the milk sectors where farmers have now seen their incomes improve.
However, the test still needs to be transformed in the cattle or fruit and vegetable sectors. Didier Guillaume, the Minister of Agriculture also agrees. The latter, who claims not to have been weakened by his failed parachuting to municipal in Biarritz, will accompany him this Saturday.
Farmers have the art of being heard. Emmanuel Macron knows this, who will try to avoid the pitfallsMore than a long walk among the exhibitors, the president should pay tribute to Jacques Chirac then linger at the bedside of the vulnerable sectors. He plans to go into contact with French wine growers hit hard by the US customs sanctions in October on still wines. This 25% surcharge, applied in repression of European subsidies granted to Airbus, could lead French exports to the country of Uncle Sam to 250 to 300 million euros.
Another sector: the fishermen above whom the threat of the closure of British waters to Community countries hovers, as part of the post-Brexit negotiations. A sword of Damocles for the sector which depends 20% on these English waters, and which will be at the heart of negotiations with London.
Especially at the end of the European summit, the resources of the CAP should be at the heart of the debates for the Head of State who explained in the middle of the week to make it an "absolute priority" . On this point, the agricultural unions are waiting for it at the turn on its ability to defend the European windfall of around 9 billion euros (16% of the CAP budget), essential for a large part of 450,000 farmers.
Read also: Defense of CAP resources, Macron's “top priority”
Farmers have the art of being heard. Emmanuel Macron knows this, who will try to avoid the pitfalls. In 2018, he was whistled. This year, several hundred farmers from the north of the Paris basin and Hauts-de-France are planning actions during its visit. They are rebelling against the entry into force since January 1 of non-treatment zones, these buffer strips located between 5 and 10 meters from residential houses, on which they will no longer be able to put plant protection products.
Another reason for dissatisfaction which irritates cattle breeders: the signing of the free trade agreement between Europe and Canada (Ceta), and that under study between Europe and Mercosur. Outside the show, antispecies associations for animal welfare should also be present.
However, Emmanuel Macron has an asset in his game to calm the ire of farmers: the pension reform currently in Parliament. Farmers will see their pensions improve. In any case, those who will leave their fields once the new universal system has been approved. With 760 euros on average per month for men, and 580 euros for women farmers, the countryside is indeed the worst off. And this, even if 80% of farmers are affiliated to several pension systems and in fact receive more. The establishment planned in 2022 (for a full career) of a minimum threshold of 1000 euros net per month, will therefore especially benefit the 250,000 people who have only one source of pension. A striking and stumbling argument.