The French presidential candidates Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen are diametrically opposed in many ways, and they are remarkably like-minded in agricultural policy. They both want to tinker with the future European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the context of food security. Le Pen would like to see the Brussels rules disappear completely, just like the trade agreements.
Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron is receiving praise from some farmers in France for his agricultural policy. In Brussels he campaigned for a workable CAP. The president recently made the news several times when he raised the subject of food security. That is also now a spearhead in his campaign. The Farm-to-Fork strategy in the new CAP – which must come into effect on January 1, 2023 – will result in a 13% decrease in production. That figure is central to both Macron and Le Pen's arguments. This is undesirable, especially in these times of sky-high (food) inflation.
Egalim 2 legislation
There are more agricultural victories that Macron can build on. So there is the Egalim 2 legislation rolled out in the sector under his auspices. This law states, among other things, that buyers of agricultural products, including retailers, may not offer loss-making contracts to farmers. In agricultural country France, with 26,7 million hectares (50% of the total territory), the agricultural sector is a hot item. Especially during election time. In the run-up to the elections, the sector could count on a lot of compliments from Macron. For example, for their performance during the corona crisis.
When Macron started as president in 2017, France took a greener path. One aimed at less use of crop protection, artificial fertilizer and more organic farming. For example, directly glyphosate to ban. Ultimately, that is what the Egalim 2 law was largely aimed at. France had to become the greenest kid in the class in Europe. It is precisely this green strategy that is now being turned away if it is up to Macron, but also Le Pen. Food security is now the most important argument.
Macron is in discussions with the European Commission to reduce the requirements of the new CAP: 20% less fertilizer use and a quarter organic by 2030. According to him, the EU cannot afford to produce less food in a situation of war. It is clear that food production will be scaled up this year. So there comes 300.000 hectares land free for cultivation that would otherwise count towards the greening requirements within the current CAP.
'Consequences of Farm-to-Fork catastrophic'
Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen goes one step further. She mentions the possible consequences of the Farm-to-Fork strategy, developed under the leadership of the European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, 'catastrophic' and 'a threat to the food sovereignty of the EU member states'. However, she does not completely ignore the new CAP. According to her, a positive point is that from next year countries will have more control over the agricultural laws in their country. The far-right candidates argue with the fact that France has dropped from the largest EU agricultural exporter to 3rd place - after Germany and the Netherlands. In a sense of national pride, that title must be reinstated.
Where Macron and Le Pen contrast is in the use of free trade agreements. For example, Mercosur (with South America) and CETA (with Canada). Le Pen wants agriculture to be left out of these treaties. Something that is mentioned more often everywhere in Europe. For example, how can profitable protein farming be set up when the EU can import cheap soya from South America? This is also the opinion of the Dutch Arable Farming Union, among others assigned. Eric Zemmour, another far-right candidate, believes that products that are not allowed to be grown in France - for example because they are GMO-bred - should also not be imported. Le Pen only says that the country of origin must be reported.
Weak green counter sound
Is there no 'green' opposition to be heard in France at all? Certainly, but it's a rearguard action. Left-wing candidates Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Yannick Jadot are fierce defenders of the new CAP. Reward based on performance, no hectare support and more money for small and medium-sized family businesses. Jadot adds that the number of animals should be reduced and spread over smaller farms. Yet they also believe that the import of (feed) raw materials is negative for French agriculture.
They are ambitious when it comes to targets for organic farming. Both want a complete ban on crop protection products by 2030. This is in contrast to the 50% reduction that European policy aims for. The chance that their ambitions will be realized is not very high. Mélenchon won 22% of the votes last weekend. That makes it still a contender. Jadot did not get further than 4,6%. Macron is at the top with 27,6%, followed by Le Pen with 23,4%.