The Future of French Agriculture: President Macron’s Vision and the End of Winter Crisis

President Emmanuel Macron met with representatives of the agricultural sector at the Élysée on Thursday morning to discuss the future of agriculture and address the end of the winter crisis. Despite being described as a “working meeting” by the Élysée, the President acknowledged that anger within the agricultural sector would not subside anytime soon, but he pledged to share his vision for agriculture in the coming months.

Following the meeting, union leaders reported that President Macron emphasized the need to focus on building a project for the future of agriculture rather than running after anger. He acknowledged the ongoing mobilization among the agricultural unions and expressed a commitment to work together to create a new vision for the sector.

The majority union, FNSEA, has been waiting for President Macron’s vision for the future of French agriculture after facing its worst crisis in thirty years. The President stated that he would only commit to this vision if part of the agricultural world was prepared to collaborate on shaping it, and suggested waiting until after the upcoming elections to January 2025 to avoid interference from union competition.

The government has made more than 60 promises in response to the agricultural crisis, and this week began examining an agricultural orientation bill that emphasizes its importance as a matter of “major general interest.” The meeting at Élysée aimed to mark