Online Press Release Distribution

The National Federation of Farmers' Unions (FNSEA) launches a call for help to the government. While drought is raging in France, the farmers union asks the State to provide cash to farmers to help them cope with the shortage of grass meant to feed their animals. Fodder production, that is gathered at this time to make provisions for the winter, fell between 50 and 60% said Beulin Xavier, patron of the FNSEA. "Farmers can not wait to hit on October 16 in anticipation of EU aid, as we promised them," said union official.

Despite the "urgency", "there is no way for us to claim a tax drought as in 1976, however, said Beulin Xavier, patron of the FNSEA. This solution, which was adopted by Jacques Chirac, then prime minister, would have helped to tarnish the image of farmers."This tax has been misunderstood. We regularly pours on, "says Xavier Beulin. Its implementation in spring 2011 has anyway been rejected by the Minister of Agriculture, Bruno Le Maire, who asserts that such action is not within its jurisdiction and the Minister for Ecology Nathalie Kosciusko -Morizet who believes he is still "too early" to consider it.

Commitment of States to banks

To cope with the situation, FNSEA would, however, that the State undertakes to banks for lending rates to zero which will allow farmers to make the junction until mid-October. "We're not asking for alms," emphasizes Xavier Beulin.According to him, it is only from June to prefund the equivalent of Community aid promised for mid-October, amounting to 710 million euros.

This advance payment should allow producers to stop the "mass mailing" of animals for slaughter, whose numbers have doubled or tripled in recent days. The union says will fight together against another perverse effect of the drought: the fall in meat prices by excess supply, causing a further decline in incomes of farmers who can not pass on their price increase animal feed.

FNSEA also wishes to meet Guillaume Pepy, SNCF president, to discuss bringing straw and fodder in the coming weeks.

54 departments under restriction

Measures of restrictions on water use extend in France.On its website, the Department of Ecology announced that 54 out of 96 metropolitan departments are now involved against 42 a week ago. Twenty-one are classified as level 3, that is to say, concerned by the measures the highest and four others are placed in a state of vigilance. Only the tip of Brittany, the eastern fringes of the country, the Massif Central and the Mediterranean shores to escape the time-limiting measures.

Water restrictions limit uses non-priority for individuals such as watering, washing cars or filling pools, and can also regulate agricultural irrigation.

The government also announced the creation of a "watch unit" on electricity supply, while drought has reduced production of dams and the threat of nuclear plants.A further meeting of the "drought committee, bringing together water users (farmers, industrialists), elected officials and experts (Météo France, Bureau of Geological and Mining Research) is scheduled to meet later in mid-June.

ALSO READ:

"Drought: Farmers can no longer ensure

"Drought: Farmers oppose restrictions

»INFO ON DEMAND: The impact of drought in France