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Application window closes on September 20th

Support plan of 60 million euros for organic farming

At the beginning of August, the European Commission validated the 60 million € [64.28 million USD] in aid promised by the French government “for organic farmers hit by the current crisis in organic consumption and for those who have suffered significant economic losses.” The French Prime Minister first announced a 10 million € [10.71 million USD] emergency fund at the International Agricultural Show in February “to provide immediate assistance to organic farms in the greatest difficulty.” The French government subsequently announced a 60 million € [64.28 million USD] “crisis package” in May.

Given the difficulties faced by organic farmers due to the drop in demand, I made a commitment to set up a specific aid plan last May.

@UEFrance has just validated the criteria for an additional envelope of 60 million €… https://t.co/xpmgnQxqK5

— Marc Fesneau (@MFesneau) August 7th, 2023

During a visit to the Oise department on May 17th, French Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau announced an additional 60 million euros [64.28 million USD] in aid for the organic sector.

Producers can apply for this "specific support plan for organic farming" on FranceAgriMer until 2pm, on September 20th.

Conditions for eligibility:

- All of the farm's production and surface areas must be either certified organic or in conversion;

- The farm must have suffered the following damage to its economic indicators: a loss of gross operating surplus (EBITDA) in 2022/23 (last financial year closed between June 2022 and May 2023), of 20% or more, compared with the average of the financial years closed in 2018 and 2019;

- And a deterioration in cash flow in 2022/23 of 20% or more, compared with the average for the financial years 2018 and 2019.

Aid considered “insufficient”
The professionals concerned consider this aid to be “highly insufficient” given the economic losses suffered for almost two years, and at a time when some of them are deconverting. In fact, FNAB, FOREBio and Synabio have “welcomed Marc Fesneau's announcements in support of organic farming. But the amounts announced fall short of the needs identified over the past year. For the year 2022 alone, the losses have been estimated at more than 150 million euros [160.89 million USD] by the sectors.” In June 2022, the French Court of Auditors issued a report in which it pointed the finger at “an insufficient policy of support for organic farming.”

The emergency fund of 10 million euros [10.71 million USD] has provoked a reaction from the sector, which displayed a banner reading “disregard for organic farming is the death of organic farming” at the International Agricultural Show in February / ©FNAB

Photo credit: Thomas Samson / AFP