** Title: Emmanuel Macron at the Agricultural Show: a statement that resonates beyond the stables **
The Agricultural Fair, a real institution in France, reopens its doors for its 61st edition, and with it, the unwritten tradition of the President of the Republic to go there, marking Emmanuel Macron’s will to maintain a palpable link with the rural and agricultural world. This year, Macron’s declaration resonates as a powerful echo in a fragile economic context, while it emphasizes that farmers should not be “the variable for adjusting purchasing power and trade agreement.” But what can we learn from this annual meeting beyond the words chosen by the Head of State?
Beyond a simple opening speech, Emmanuel Macron’s intervention is at the heart of complex issues that directly affect the foundations of the agricultural economy. Indeed, this sector, pillar of French identity, is today at the crossroads between trade agreements often deemed inequitable, the growing pressure on food prices and environmental challenges. Crucial: how to guarantee the sustainability of French agriculture in the face of increasing globalization?
## Farmers, actors or victims of the market?
The sentence pronounced by Macron can be interpreted in different ways. On the one hand, it places farmers at the heart of economic responsibility, highlighting the urgency to protect its status. On the other hand, this declaration can also challenge their position in a system where fluctuations on the international market often impose doloris choices. Indeed, the historical trend shows that, since the market liberalization of the 1990s, farmers are often the first victims of economic crises and political vagaries.
### Figures that speak for themselves
To illustrate this reality, let’s take some statistics. According to INSEE recent analyzes, the profitability of farms has decreased by almost 30 % between 2010 and 2020. At the same time, the number of farms has dropped, to reach a low record, with nearly 100,000 missing farms in a decade. These figures bear witness to an in full change sector, weakened by policies that are not always aligned with the real needs of the field.
Farmers often deplore increasing production costs, coupled with pressure on selling prices. The role of the government is then crucial. PAC subsidies (common agricultural policy) could be reinforced to support not only profitability, but also the transition to more sustainable agriculture. Indeed, while consumer expectations are evolving towards agroecological practices, it is essential that these transitions are accompanied by concrete and incentive measures.
### The man in contact with the ground
Beyond figures and speeches, it is also interesting to consider the human dimension of this meeting. Emmanuel Macron, by going to the field, demonstrates a desire to dialogue directly with the producers. This approach, although it can be welcomed with skepticism by certain farmers, recalls the need for a direct link between political decision -makers and agricultural players.
The agricultural fair should be a place not only of exchange but also of reflection. What innovative solutions can be put forward to improve the resilience of farms? How to capitalize on the growing expectations of consumers to promote more responsible agriculture? These questions should find their place at the heart of the discussions of this edition of the show.
### to a common future
To conclude, Emmanuel Macron’s declaration at the Agricultural Show opens the way to a deep reflection on the essential role of farmers in French socio-economic balance. His words must serve as a hub for concrete actions that place farmers in the position of strategic actors and not simple variables in a globalized economy. If we really want to support this vital sector, it is a question of starting a real transformation of agricultural policies, anchored in dialogue and innovation, for a resilient and sustainable future.
Thus, the Agricultural Show should not be just a window of local products, but a real crucible for ideas and actions that will make it possible to redefine the agricultural future of France.