France announces new aid measures for the livestock sector
Thursday, September 3, 2015 / Ministère de l'Agriculture, de l'Agroalimentaire et de la Forêt / France.
http://agriculture.gouv.fr
After massive demonstration of French farmers in Paris (more than 1,500 tractors from all over France), the Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, announced, on Thursday, a package of measures on the spot that will elevate aid to €3,000 M and will lower social contributions.
According to Valls, "Farmers do not need aid. They want prices. Acceptable prices, which are a true reflection of their work. The priority is, now and forever, to stop prices dropping."
The government has decided, among other things:
- It is anticipated that €100 M will be needed in 2015 for the payment of interest on loans taken by farmers, as well as €50 M for the payment of exemptions on social benefits.
- To improve the efficiency of farms and working conditions, the government will allocate, each of the three years, €350 M of public money from the National Treasury, but also from European funds and regional budgets.
- An additional €30 M —increasing the amount from 20 to 50 M— will be allocated to the modernization of slaughterhouses.