Agriculture: Compromise found in Parliament on the Duplomb law, with the much-criticized return of a pesticide

The bill by Senators Duplomb and Menonville on agriculture, criticized by the left because it authorizes the reintroduction of a banned pesticide , took an important step on Monday with the conclusion of an agreement between MPs and Senators on the entire text, suggesting its final adoption.

The seven deputies and seven senators meeting behind closed doors in the Joint Committee (JCC) in the Senate managed to come up with a compromise version of this text aimed at "removing constraints on the exercise of the profession of farmer".

This is "a strong, expected and necessary signal to our farmers: I welcome the commitment of the parliamentarians who have worked towards this convergence," said the Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, on X.

Led by Laurent Duplomb (Les Républicains) and Franck Menonville (UDI, centre), the initiative is now close to becoming a reality: a final vote on this joint wording is planned for Wednesday in the Senate and then Tuesday, July 8 in the National Assembly.

The favorable vote of the right-leaning upper house is beyond doubt. The vote of the deputies is a little more uncertain, even if the combined votes of the National Rally, the Republicans, and a large part of the Macronist central bloc appear to give a clear majority for the adoption of this text, which has been called for in particular by the FNSEA, the leading agricultural union.

On Monday, in any case, the CMP voted overwhelmingly for the compromise text, with 10 votes in favor - RN, LR, centrists and Macronists - and 4 opposition from the Socialists and Insoumis.

"This text will not resolve all of farmers' needs, but it does one simple thing: give our French farmers the same resources as their European counterparts," said Mr. Duplomb, affirming that he had received assurances from Gabriel Attal that Renaissance elected officials would support this text during the final vote.

Throughout the debates, Macron's supporters struggled to mask their divisions over the most irritating measures. And some of their elected representatives could even oppose them during the final vote, such as the Renaissance chair of the Sustainable Development Committee, Sandrine Le Feur, who believes the text crosses "several red lines" and has promised to vote against it.

Opponents will not miss the opportunity to put pressure on their colleagues. "We call on these Macronist MPs to be responsible. This vote will be a vote for or against fundamental public health issues," Insoumise MP Manon Meunier told AFP, outraged by a compromise that "repeats the worst provisions voted on in the Senate."

"With this text, we are not hearing the scientists, we are not hearing the warnings from science, we are not hearing the warnings from the climate," lamented environmentalist Benoît Biteau, who was also present at the CMP.

The most sensitive provision is undoubtedly the reintroduction, albeit by way of derogation and under strict conditions, of acetamiprid, a pesticide from the neonicotinoid family banned in France since 2018. Its effects on humans are a source of concern, even if the risks remain uncertain, due to a lack of large-scale studies.

Authorized elsewhere in Europe, it is particularly sought by beet and hazelnut producers, who believe they have no alternative to combat the pests. Conversely, beekeepers warn of "a bee killer."

The system was maintained in the CMP on Monday, with some adjustments, such as a "review clause" after three years of reintroduction, and a ban on planting plants that attract pollinators in previously treated areas.

A system "without overbidding or giving up," according to the former Minister of Agriculture and president of the Les Démocrates (MoDem) group, Marc Fesneau, who welcomed after the joint committee meeting "a demonstration of Parliament's support for farmers."

Other measures voted on by the Joint Committee include raising environmental authorization thresholds for intensive livestock farming and facilitating water storage for crop irrigation.

On the other hand, a Senate measure aimed at increasing the government's influence in the work of the health agency ANSES on pesticide authorizations was withdrawn as part of this parliamentary compromise, according to several participants.

These discussions have been accompanied for several days by numerous demonstrations . Several dozen activists, elected officials, farmers and members of NGOs gathered again on Monday at noon near the Senate, at the call of the Nourrir collective, which is outraged by a law "in the service of agro-industry."