The French national agriculture audit committee has just issued provisional figures on income for farmers in 2010.  With a clear improvement on 2009, which was a very bad year¹, specialised grain and oil and protein seed crop producers have now returned to an average income level² in line with their capital investments as well as the skills and expertise they provide and the risks they have to contend with.
 
There is a striking difference between the situation at the end of 2010 as seen with this increase and the position of the sector last Spring when 1 500 tractors drove through Paris in protest at a time when prospects for 2010 seemed to be for even worse results than the previous year.  Two unforeseen developments occurred with markets taking off after the disastrous drop in crop levels in the Black Sea region and, to a lesser extent, the decline in the euro-dollar exchange rate;  both had a positive effect on the trade and financial balance.
 
All of this highlights the increasingly unpredictable nature of arable crop farming.  It is absolutely essential for this to be given consideration in the CAP reform for the period from 2014 to 2020, both for market regulation with changes to aid and by ensuring that farmers can average out their incomes to offset the impact of peaks and troughs.
 
Contact: Pascal HURBAULT, (+33/0)1 44 31 16 25 / (+33/0)6 72 42 06 36


1. Average gross income (before tax and deductions for social charges paid by the farmer):  13 200 euros.
2. Average gross income (before tax and deductions for social charges paid by the farmer):  36 600 euros.

The European Commission has just presented the outlines for the Common Agricultural Policy to be implemented over the period 2014 to 2020.
 
The ORAMA stance is that while keeping the two pillars would help retain a degree of clarity for the CAP, the emphasis in the first pillar on management of the environment and balance between different regions must not mean that issues for the agricultural economy are overlooked.  It is therefore essential to make sure the Commission’s stated ambition is achieved, with agriculture in Europe making an active contribution to global food security and safety.
 
The existence of the future CAP will also depend on factors that have not yet been given prominence, e.g. the level and allocation of budgets to be earmarked for the policy and the development of market regulation instruments.
 
The message that is currently being sent out by the Commission is simply a starting point.  ORAMA, acting for its professional partners in France and other European countries, will be taking action to ensure that the future CAP is designed for European agriculture to expand, thus putting it in a better position to respond to the concerns of all parties, whether for matters of supply, for dealing with environmental challenges or as a player working for a harmonious life for the economy, employment and society in all areas of the different countries.
 
ORAMA is counting on the determination of the public authorities in France to follow this line and to attract support from their European partners.
 
Contact: Pascal HURBAULT (+33/0)1 44 31 16 25 / (+33/0)6 72 42 06 36

In 2006, in the Lot-et-Garonne region of France, ten hectares of land planted with GM maize, grown with proper approval and therefore quite legally, was destroyed by “volunteer reapers.”
 
The trial has now come to court, with charges laid against 86 individuals.  AGPM is involved as a plaintiff claiming damages and:
 
   -  has restated the Association’s support for the maize-grower who has suffered both economic and non-economic losses.
   -  has condemned the offences wilfully committed with no regard for the law or respect for either persons or property.
   -  expects the case to be conducted as the trial of the perpetrators of the attack and not of the person attacked.
   -  shall, whatever the outcome, respect the legal ruling handed down by the court.
 
French legislation passed in June 2008 formally recognised the freedom to either choose to farm and consume GMOs or not to do so.  The AGPM therefore regrets that the public authorities have failed to issue the decrees needed for the legislation to be enforced.  This inconsistency was pointed out, and with great force, in the very recent parliamentary information report by two Members of the Lower House, Mr. Antoine Herth and Mr. Germinal Peiro.

Contacts : Luc ESPRIT - 06.80.31.65.45
                Céline DUROC - 06 87 61 80 48

Leaks on proposals which the European Commission should be scheduling for debate by November 17 and dealing with the issue of the post-2013 CAP are clear cause for concern.
 
These proposals give greater prominence to approaches for environmental management and urban and rural balance in the CAP, which is not a problem in itself, but, given the mechanisms proposed, this development would be to the detriment of the agricultural economy.  The mechanisms involve the reallocation of economic aid in response to greater environmental demands, thus making it impossible to meet the levels required for European farms to be competitive when up against producers from other parts of the world, and could therefore threaten the economic viability of European farms.  What’s more, the demand for better market regulation, an essential prerequisite to provide farmers and their partners in the production sectors with the stability needed, has been totally overlooked.
 
ORAMA greatly regrets that the continuing increase in worldwide demand for farming produce, in particular grain, for food, energy and renewable raw materials, has been left out of the European strategy.
 
ORAMA also wishes to note that for many years now, farmers have been taking environmental considerations into account when managing their land and have been hoping to have access to available technologies so as to make further improvements in sustainable agriculture.
 
ORAMA obviously cannot be satisfied with an imbalanced “greening” of the CAP and the ensuing decline in the agricultural economy.  ORAMA will take action with its partner organisations in France and Europe to see that such developments are modified.  This is the issue at stake for the next few months.  ORAMA will also ask the French authorities to state whether they consider such developments to be in line with the interests of France and of the European Union, and not only for agriculture, but also on a broader scale, for economic and geopolitical matters.

Contact : Pascal HURBAULT - Tel : 01 44 31 16 25 - Mobile : 06 72 42 06 36

The AGPM and the FRSEA federations for the regions of Alsace, Burgundy and Rhone-Alps have expressed satisfaction at the compensation granted to farmers for compulsory pest control of Diabrotica Virgifera and paid by the GNIS inter-branch group [Groupement National Interprofessionnel des Semences et Plants].
 
First there was the signing of the inter-branch agreement in the maize and sorghum section of the GNIS in September 2009;  next, in November 2009, the French authorities extended the agreement, then came difficulties in implementing it, as for any new process;  but now the maize sector is pleased to see that the “solidarity mechanism” is working efficiently.  Farmers who submitted requests last Spring are now receiving compensation for the damages on the farm incurred with the introduction of diabrotica control measures in 2009, covering insecticide treatment both when sowing and when the crop is in leaf and for crop rotation obligations.  This compensation also includes expenditure on treatment for 2010 sowing.  Compensation for compulsory rotation in 2010 will be covered by a forthcoming submission.
 
Compensation payments now coming into farms are the result of unstinting joint efforts at regional and national levels and by the determination of the maize sector which was able to set up a sound, professional financing arrangement, thus ensuring that the State was a partner on this strategic matter of supporting farmers affected by health requirements;  this can be seen in concrete terms with the single payment that has now been received by farmers, with support from the farming industry combined with national support.
 
The maize sector also applauds the work of the regional chambers of agriculture in the three regions concerned and their efficiency in preparing and presenting the case, plus the pragmatic approach of all players whose contributions helped produce a valid arrangement leveraging support and solidarity between regions and all maize producers, working together for the common cause which is the long-term viability of maize as a crop.

Contacts : AGPM : Céline Duroc - 06 87 61 80 48
                FRSEA Alsace : Michel Busch - 06 09 72 34 25
                FRSEA Bourgogne : Jean Leconte – 06 19 78 08 27
                FRSEA Rhône-Alpes : Eric Thébault - 06 83 61 23 10

The European Maize Production Confederation (C.E.P.M.), which held its Annual General Meeting on September 8, 2010, as part of the “Maize Days” which took place in Pau, France, re-asserted its commitment to a productive and competitive maize sector, able to better meet the demand on the feed, food, non-food, and export markets.
 
This commitment implies the following orientations :
provide the 2014-2020 Common Agricultural Policy with a minimum budget, maintained at the current level – with the 1st Pillar and the related single payments remaining as key components – as well as with market regulation tools (intervention and storage mechanisms) enabling it to manage price fluctuation;
maintain a protection system under the WTO negotiations in terms of market access and redefine Community preferences while integrating the EU economic, social, environmental, and sanitary requirements;
provide full access to production inputs (certification of chemicals, seed treatments, biotechnologies etc), which contribute to the economic and environmental performances on farms, without thereby causing any distortion to the EU internal organisation;
confirm the 2020 objectives on renewable energy and the contribution made by agriculture and the European maize in that respect.
 
By implementing these directions, the European and national decision-makers would confirm the strategic nature of the European agriculture and its ability to meet the current stakes and challenges, especially the feed, food and energy ones.
 
Contact :
Luc ESPRIT, Secrétaire Permanent C.E.P.M.
Mobile : +33 (0) 6 80 31 65 45
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
-  The CEPM is the organisation representing maize at the European level, working for and with members, monitoring the latest developments concerning maize in regulations, technology and the economy. The CEPM is a body representing maize at the level of the European Commission. CEPM membership is comprised of eleven countries : Bulgaria (Council of the Bulgarian agricultural organisations), France (AGPM), Germany (DMK), Hungary (Hungarian seed association), Italy (AMI), Poland (PZPK), Portugal (ANPROMIS), Romania (FNPAR), Slovakia (ZPSK), Slovenia (National chamber of agricultural) and Spain (AGPME), covering most of the maize acreage in the 27-member European Union. The AGPM (General Association of Maize Growers) is the organisation representing French maize and has held the presidency and position of permanent secretary of the CEPM since it was founded in 1985.
 
-  In 2010, the EU-27 maize area is as follows: out of a total of 13.65 million hectares, 8.1 million have been planted to grain maize, 5.4 million to silage maize, 105,000 to seed maize, and 48,000 to sweet corn.

Dans le prolongement des journées maïs de Maiz’ Europ’ qui se sont déroulées les 8 et 9 septembre à Pau, un Conseil d’Administration électif a suivi  l’Assemblée Générale de la Fédération Nationale de la Production des Semences de Maïs et de Sorgho (F.N.P.S.M.S.)*. Bernard DELSUC, agriculteur – multiplicateur dans le Tarn, Président de la F.N.P.S.M.S. (et également Vice-Président A.G.P.M.), depuis dix ans, a souhaité cesser ce mandat électif.
 
Joël ARNAUD, agriculteur – multiplicateur en Limagnes (Puy-de-Dôme), a été élu Président de la F.N.P.S.M.S.
 
Le Bureau est par ailleurs composé de :
 
-  Franck CLAVIER, Vice-Président (Directeur Général Groupe Vivadour).
-  Pierre VINCENS, Trésorier (agriculteur – multiplicateur dans le Tarn).
 
Et 3 membres de droit :
 
- Pierre BLANC, Président A.G.P.M. MAÏS SEMENCE (et agriculteur – multiplicateur dans le Tarn-et-Garonne).
-  Régis FOURNIER, Président Section Maïs UFS (et Directeur Général Maïsadour Semences).
-  Christophe TERRAIN, Président A.G.P.M. (et agriculteur dans le Gers).
 
Joël ARNAUD, 51 ans, est agriculteur dans le Puy-de-Dôme sur une exploitation de 80 ha à dominante céréalière. Il assure par ailleurs les responsabilités suivantes :
 
-  Vice-Président du Syndicat des Producteurs de Semences de Maïs des Limagnes.
-  Vice-Président de la Coopérative Limagrain et Président de Limagrain Europe.
-  Administrateur A.G.P.M.
-  Membre Section Maïs Sorgho du GNIS et du C.T.P.S.
 
 
* La F.N.P.S.M.S. est une organisation interprofessionnelle regroupant d’une part, les agriculteurs – multiplicateurs de semences de maïs et de sorgho structurés dans 22 syndicats départementaux ou régionaux et fédérés au sein de A.G.P.M. MAÏS SEMENCE, présidée par Pierre BLANC, et d’autre part, les entreprises semencières structurées au sein de la Section Maïs de l’Union Française des Semenciers (UFS), présidée par Régis FOURNIER.
  
Contacts :
Luc ESPRIT – 06.80.31.65.45.
Isabelle CASSADO – 05.59.12.67.06.

A number of demonstrations on agriculture have been held in Romania and include initiatives by the National Federation of Agricultural Producers, the FNPAR, as is the case this Thursday (September 9) in Bucharest.
 
The European Confederation of Maize Production (CEPM), which has the FNPAR as a member organisation, wishes to express its support for these union actions and specifically the demands calling for:
economic and financial measures to be introduced to help cope with difficulties facing agriculture in Romania and which have been made worse by the prospect of direct payments being suspended.
the implementation, both nationally and at the EU level, of tools for market regulation in a context of great price volatility on agricultural produce and products.
advocacy for inputs and for the introduction of a proper policy on irrigation and access to biotechnologies and GMOs for soybean and maize farming.
 
The defence of productive and competitive agriculture, working with management tools, is part of the CEPM approach and guidance.  The CEPM, through this press release, is publicly stating its support for the FNPAR.

Contact :
Luc ESPRIT, Secrétaire Permanent C.E.P.M.
Mobile : +33 (0) 6 80 31 65 45
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The CEPM is the organisation representing maize at the European level, working for and with members, monitoring the latest developments concerning maize in regulations, technology and the economy.  The CEPM is a body representing maize at the level of the European Commission.
CEPM membership is comprised of eleven countries:
Bulgaria (Council of the Bulgarian agricultural organisations), France (AGPM), Germany (DMK), Hungary (Hungarian seed association), Italy (AMI), Poland (PZPK), Portugal (ANPROMIS), Romania (FNPAR), Slovakia (ZPSK), Slovenia (National chamber of agricultural) and Spain (AGPME), covering most of the maize acreage in the 27-member European Union.
The AGPM (General Association of Maize Growers) is the organisation representing French maize and has held the presidency and position of permanent secretary of the CEPM since it was founded in 1985.

Between 2008 and 2009, specialised grain producers and oil and protein seed producers saw their gross income (before deductions for individual social charges and taxation) drop by 57.1%, the figure updated and validated since the December 2009 forecast, and now published by the French national agriculture audit committee.  It shows that the drop was even greater than the 51% estimate made in December last year.  This is the largest decline for any agricultural production sector and means that the absolute value of income for the producers concerned is lower than the national average for all sectors.
 
Under these circumstances, Orama is urging Members of Parliament to make sure that the DPA* contingency tax concession mechanism be adopted and made practicable for grain producers, doing so in the framework of their current debates on draft legislation for the modernisation of agriculture.  It is totally anomalous that compulsory crop insurance be a prerequisite for DPA entitlements, as this cover offers no advantage for most grain producers and is simply an additional expense serving no purpose.
 
Under these circumstances, the meeting of the Ministry of Agriculture arable crop monitoring committee scheduled for July 8 must therefore produce decisions with a substantial effect reducing the impact of the cuts in aid for arable crops in 2010, a measure which was supported by the French government as part of the CAP Health Check.
 
It is impossible to go on for ever making cuts on cuts.
 
(*) A tax concession granted by taking part of the profits from good years and factoring this into the figures for bad years.  In the intervening period, the sums deducted are held in trust in a bank account.

Contact : Pascal HURBAULT, 01 44 31 16 25 / 06 72 42 06 36

The demonstration in Paris yesterday by arable crop growers from fourteen regions in France provided unequivocal proof of the situation of farms in the sector.
 
The farmers had not come because of any whim or for the fun of it;  so many of them had left their work for a number of days to make the long return journey between their farms and Paris.
 
The public authorities are now in a position to understand the level and urgency of the response required of them.  The timeline must be set according to dates for farming and not the pace of administrative offices.  No excuses or prevarication will be tolerated from the Minister and Secretary of State for Ecology.

Contact : Pascal HURBAULT, 01 44 31 16 25 / 06 72 42 06 36

At the Arable Crop Committee meeting, ORAMA focused special attention on the extremely difficult situation of grain and oil and protein seed producers, making concrete proposals that can be adopted immediately and which are guided by an assertively competitive, economic view of agriculture.
 
Income:  ORAMA called for CAP aid payments to be made on October 16.  It also called for concessions on tax, social and financial charges, doing so by, for example, postponing instalments due, calculating social charges on the basis of the current year (year n), and by doing away with the minimum amount set for calculating medical insurance charges.
 
Relieve constraints on farms:  ORAMA has called for environmental measures to be reassessed in relation to their impact on production, and for measures for rotation and diversification to be reviewed and made sustainable long-term arrangements.  ORAMA has also called for an end to the great confusion of bureaucratic procedures which the administration has inflicted on farmers, such as, only recently, querying their land maps.
 
ORAMA stated expectations for the authorities to trigger initiatives within their scope of responsibility for more dynamic market access.  This would mean, for example, measures to help storage and export credit, including on nearby markets such as the Mediterranean and the Near/Middle East.  Similarly ORAMA has called for the authorities to finally take energetic steps to put an end to inefficiencies with rail freight and to grant full approval for 44 tonne loads as road transport, and more generally to help make transportation more competitive.
 
ORAMA has asked both French and European authorities to show responsible commitment to the industry with market regulation.  This would mean, for example, maintaining tools used to manage crisis situations such as the present one affecting arable crops.
 
On all these issues, ORAMA issued a firm invitation to the authorities to take the necessary steps promptly.  This is the message that will be conveyed with determination by arable crop producers as part of the union action they are preparing for April 27 and which ORAMA fully endorses.

Contact : Pascal HURBAULT, 01 44 31 16 25 / 06 72 42 06 36

Orama and Irrigants de France* fully support the irrigating farmers from the regions of Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrenees who rallied today in Mont-de-Marsan and Toulouse, reacting to announcements of drastic cuts in the volumes of water allocated for agriculture.

Water is a key input for farming, guaranteeing steady production levels for both quantity and quality.  Irrigating farmers have always been aware of the need to share water resources and for many years now have made concerted, organised efforts, making progress, e.g. with water meters, coordinated sharing of volumes available, setting up water towers and earlier sowing of crops.
 
The cuts in volumes of water allocated for irrigation as announced – up to 70% or even 100% in some catchment areas – will have a major impact on farming sectors which are already suffering with their income declining.  This additional constraint, both technical and financial, is unacceptable and triggered various union responses as seen today in the South-West region of France and as planned nationwide.  Yet there are alternatives.  One such option is the development of an ambitious national water storage plan.
 
ORAMA and Irrigants de France are therefore calling on the public authorities to be more pragmatic in dealing with the issue of volumes to be abstracted, taking into account the social and economic impact on the different farming sectors as well as the progress already achieved by irrigating farmers over many years now (e.g. improved efficiency with water provided, crop cycles and reductions in volumes abstracted).  It would be unreasonable not to follow through on the statements made by the President of the French Republic last Saturday at the International Agricultural Show in Paris, referring to the legitimacy of environmental measures affecting agriculture.
 
Irrigants de France is organising a major rally outside Parliament (Assemblée Nationale) on April 13 to focus attention on the strategic importance of irrigation for farming in France and on the need for pro-active steps to be taken on the issue of storing water resources in the context of climate change as projected for the future.

* Irrigants de France is comprised of 35 groups and unions (from different “départements”) plus the associations representing arable crops (AGPB, AGPM, FOP and UNPT).


Contacts :
Céline Duroc : 06-87-61-80-48
Anne Kettaneh : 06 83 22 05 01 *

A meeting of the Board of Directors of the General Association of Maize Growers, AGPM, was held in Paris on March 4, 2010, and elected the members of the Bureau.

Christophe TERRAIN (1) was returned as President of the organisation with a unanimous vote. 

Membership of the AGPM Bureau is as follows:

General Secretary : PEYRAUBE Daniel - Landes
Deputy General Secretary : VIAL Anne Claire - Drôme
Treasurer : PEES Christian - Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Senior Vice-President : CARTIER Henri-Bernard - Gers
Vice-Presidents :
BLANC Pierre - Tarn-et-Garonne
DELSUC Bernard - Tarn
MARTIN Daniel - Ain
SCHNEIDER Christian - Bas-Rhin
Bureau Members :
BOULON Jean - Landes
CHASSAGNOU Jean-Jacques - Dordogne
DAUDIN Jean-François - Loir-et-Cher
GALARDON Georges - Côtes-D’Armor
LATASTE Jean-Paul - Landes
LAURENT Jean-Louis - Allier
PAGESSE Pierre - Puy-de-Dôme
PUYO Christian - Hautes Pyrénées
RONDEAU Arnaud - Yonne
THUET Thomas - Haut-Rhin
TROUVAT Pierre - Deux-Sèvres

In the course of the Board Meeting an appeal was made to the Minister of Agriculture and the Government, focusing on three points.
 
·  A financial situation that is disastrous for many farms and which needs budgetary and social measures to be taken swiftly and makes the deduction of some 20% of aid payments, scheduled for December 2010, totally untenable.
·  The obligation to meet farmers’ needs for productivity and competitiveness, ceasing to “eliminate” innovations and inputs potentially available (GMOs, plant protection products, seed treatment, irrigation, etc.).
·  The urgent need to put an end to the incomprehensible accumulation of environmental measures which are a source of distortion and are destroying the economic viability of farms. 
 
There is now an urgent need for both action and real decisions.

A.G.P.M. Contacts :
Anne Kettaneh – 06.83.22.05.01
Luc Esprit – 06.80.31.65.45 

(1) Christophe Terrain, aged 58, is a farmer in the Gers region and President of Vivadour cooperative group;  he is also Vice-President of Orama, President of Arvalis Plant Institute and a board member of the FNSEA.

Farmers from the Centre and Sarthe regions of France demonstrated yesterday in the département of Loir-et-Cher, and quite rightly so, staging their protest along roads leading to the point where the President of the French Republic had just closed the major forum on rural areas.
 
Agricultural organisations in the region were refused the hearing they had requested at the forum, an unacceptable situation given:
   -  the importance for rural life in the region of farming and the business it generates in the different sectors. 
   -  the disastrous prospects arising from the decision made a year ago by the Government, arguing that prices would remain high in the long term and making substantial cuts in CAP aid for arable crop producers in 2010.
   - the tacit refusal of the same public authorities to form the committee on arable crops, as promised at the highest level of state in March 2009 in the event of prices not remaining at the high levels forecast.
 
Yesterday farmers from the Centre and Sarthe regions demonstrated, showing they were serious and determined, expressing their discontent and also the discontent felt by fellow farmers in all regions growing arable crops, angered by the indifference shown by the public authorities.

Contact : Pascal HURBAULT, 01 44 31 16 25 / 06 72 42 06 36

ORAMA has seen the findings of the “Ecophyto R & D” study investigating ways to reduce the use of plant protection products and published in the report released yesterday by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA).