It should be definitively adopted midJuly

The review of the agricultural modernization bill begins today in the National Assembly. It should be definitively adopted mid-July. Bruno Le Maire explains how it prepares the revolution of agriculture, otherwise the France would lose its leading position in Europe and its agricultural identity based on diversity and the quality of the products in a preserved environment.

Some actors of the food world have promised a very eventful discussion of your bill for modernization of agriculture in the National Assembly. Will the text voted by the Senate therefore be deeply revised

Since the reform of the Constitution, changes to the text play in Committee before the public review sessions. The possibility remains to move amendments at the meeting, but it is much more difficult. We have had extremely long debates in the Senate that led to a real enrichment of the Bill. Through the work of the Senate and to the Commission for Economic Affairs of the Assembly, we have found a good balance. I wish to preserve in the debate that opens to the Assembly.

Is the review to the Assembly not the opportunity to vote amendments more stringently around relations between the agri-food industry and the large distribution

It is excluded from the amendments to the law of modernization of the economy in the text of modernization of agriculture and fishing. The distribution is not within my purview, but Christine Lagarde and Hervé Novelli.

How can your Bill change agriculture

The income of farmers has been a historic drop of 34 in 2009, and even 50 in some productions. It deeply modify the Organization of agriculture to the free movement of this magnitude by implementing new measures. This is why the text of Act, whose members begin public review today, proposes to complete contract relationship between operators and manufacturers, to introduce more transparency in prices and margins, to establish mechanisms of insurance to protect farmers against the vagaries of climate and health, to tax speculation on Earth to stop the loss of agricultural land. This is a real revolution, to defend a French model based on farms of reasonable size, the maintenance of employment, the presence of our agriculture on the whole, the quality and diversity of products.

What can be the effectiveness of national measures in a Europeanized area of long date

Well, I hope to convince other members of the EU countries to follow the French example. The France is at the forefront of the European agricultural debate. Watch the journey! A year ago, the word "regulation" was taboo. Since then, we have obtained the intervention of the European authorities on the market of milk crisis. And it worked: prices are reassembled. The Commission has just proposed to generalize to 27 member countries the system of the relationship between farmers and industrial contracting, that I propose in the Bill of modernization. The contracts will appear in the next reform of the common agricultural policy in 2013. The France can inspire other changes of here here.

The revolution you are talking about prevent the Germany double the France and become the first agricultural power in Europe

The France is the first European agricultural power with a turnover of EUR 65 billion, against $ 45 billion in Germany. But we must recognize that we have lost ground. There are more position gained today. However, I am satisfied that we have all the assets to remain the first if our revolution now. This is not simple. I am well aware of the difficulty of the task requested from French farmers. I understand the reluctance of some to ensure against the climate and health risks.

We have no choice. If we do not have the courage to make difficult choices, is international competition which will be for us. And then it will be the end of the French model farms of average size, in favour of the expansion at all costs, the industrialization and standardization of products. I refuse!

For some people say that German agriculture is more competitive because the farms are much larger. Must the farm France to prepare for a new wave of restructuring

I do not at all the virtues of the race for the expansion. I am even convinced that it is a mistake. I don't exclude some restructuring. But "big" is not necessarily synonymous with "competitive." On the contrary. Competitiveness is related to the relationship between the size of the operation and enhancement of products. In addition, the Germany is not only a competitor. It is also and above all a partner. We will present a common position on the future of the CAP in the next fall.

Are the divisions between Europeans on the next common agricultural policy always as clear

Two views collide: that of a cap on the cheap, which assumes that the European Union produce at the lowest possible costs, regardless of the consequences for the health quality, the environment and the standardisation of products. This is not our choice. The President of the Republic defends an ambitious agricultural policy based on a total safety, on the defence of the environment, aid to difficult areas such as mountains.

To achieve these objectives, should reduce the use of pesticides, develop the grass livestock, maintain productions throughout the territory. But all this has a cost. And this requires a real effort of harmonization of the rules.

How rally North of Europe to the French vision

In convincing consumers. True reversal is. There is no cap to farmers, but to consumers. Agriculture and agri-food live in accelerated the problems that many other sectors of the economy will have to ask in terms of competitiveness. Europe is at the time of critical choices. Either it is reduced to a large market and it will be the first to suffer, or it is organised politically, found the Community preference, and it will be respected by the new global farm powers. Europe will not exist without agreement on a political model. And the France will be again at the edge of the proposals.