First, there will be images from Epinal, videos showing the President of the Republic patting the backs of the most beautiful cows and tasting the tastiest cheeses. Then will come the discussions, often animated, between the political power and the actors of a sector in great suffering. This Saturday, February 25, the 2023 edition of the Salon de l’Agriculture opens, a moment eagerly awaited by the agricultural world, after an event canceled in 2020 due to Covid-19 and truncated last year due to the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
Reassuring the sector while protecting the environment
There is no shortage of subjects of concern, between the soaring food prices due to the war in Ukraine and the repeated episodes of drought which affect the sector, in summer as in winter. On this subject, the President of the Republic called for “a sobriety plan on water”, on the model of “energy sobriety”, evoking “the end of abundance”. “We know that we will be confronted as we were last summer with problems of scarcity (of water): rather than organizing under duress at the last moment with conflicts of use, we must plan all that “, he explained, calling for “better harvesting of rainwater”, “to have fewer leaks in the water networks” and “better distribute the use of drinking water according to the users” . The subject of wastewater recycling appears to be crucial, while France is lagging behind its European neighbors.
Another concern for farmers: failing to adapt to new environmental requirements, culminating in the possible ban on glyphosate, a carcinogenic herbicide widely used by farmers.
The Head of State began his visit a little before nine o’clock, first discussing with the fishing industry, before kicking off the show. Emmanuel Macron intends to deal with all subjects, and reconcile seemingly contradictory issues.
As for the delicate subject of pesticides, the President of the Republic intends to insist on the need to limit their use, despite the complaints of the FNSEA, which wishes to see a reduction in the environmental constraints imposed on farmers. Finally, to fight against rising food and energy prices, its president, Christiane Lambert, is calling for financial aid to be put in place. Regarding the soaring food prices, Emmanuel Macron has challenged the groups of large retailers: “Those who have to make an effort on their margins are the distributors.”