France has announced more than €1 billion ($1.16 billion) in aid for farmers after this summer’s record heatwaves and droughts devastated crops, pastures and water supplies, as reported by Reuters. Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard described the package as “a massive effort given the current budgetary context,” noting that around €520 million will be disbursed as rapid payments to help farmers cope with weather-related damage.
The country’s main farmers’ union, the FNSEA, estimates that producers have already suffered at least €10 billion in lost output, with the livestock and arable sectors each reporting losses of more than €5 billion. According to the minister, between 30,000 and 35,000 farms are in financial difficulty, and the immediate priority is to manage the emergency. The plan also establishes a €235 million recovery fund to help farms purchase seeds, plants and animal feed after drought left farmland parched, alongside land-tax relief, social-security support and a fuel subsidy.