HVE certification numbers drop slightly

As of January 1, 2026, 35,144 French agricultural farms were certified as High Environmental Value (HVE), covering 1.9 million hectares and nearly 7 percent of the country's total agricultural area. This is a decrease of nearly 1,000 farms compared to January 1, 2023, a decline of about 3 percent over three years.

Transition period affects HVE certification

The decline in HVE-certified farms coincides with the start of the transition period between versions 3 and 4 of the HVE specification sheet, which was validated in November 2022. The Ministry of Agriculture described the decrease as "modest" but noted it signals a "break in the dynamic of strong growth that had prevailed since 2020."

Certification numbers corrected

The ministry also corrected figures for the first half of 2025, stating that the number of certified farms was 36,464 as of June 1, 2025, rather than the previously reported 39,768. This correction is likely due to database duplicates during the transition period.

Regional distribution of HVE farms

As of January 1, 2026, 85 percent of HVE-certified farms in France are concentrated in the regions of Occitanie, Grand Est, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The report highlights variations in the number of certifications according to regions between version 3 and version 4 of the specification sheet.

Regional changes in HVE certifications

Several regions experienced significant decreases in HVE-certified farms during the transition, including Nouvelle-Aquitaine (-1,468 farms), Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (-361 farms), Bretagne (-299 farms), Auvergne Rhône-Alpes (-257 farms), and Centre-Val-de-Loire (-212 farms). In contrast, some regions saw increases, such as Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (+471 farms) and Grand Est (+445 farms).

Viticulture leads in HVE certifications

Viticulture dominates HVE certifications in France, accounting for about 64.7% of the total. Other major categories include mixed farming and livestock other than beef cattle (9%), mixed farming beef cattle (7.8%), and large-scale farming (6.5%). The transition to the new specification sheet had varying impacts across these sectors.

Sector-specific changes in HVE certifications

The number of certified farms decreased in several sectors, including mixed farming beef cattle (-769 farms), large-scale farming (-627 farms), beef cattle (-359 farms), dairy cattle (-180 farms), horticulture (-171 farms), and arboriculture (-153 farms). These decreases were offset by increases in mixed farming (other than beef cattle) (+878), viticulture (+368), horse breeding (+180), and horticulture (+77).

Collective framework dominates HVE certifications

Two-thirds (69 percent) of HVE-certified farms as of the beginning of 2026 were certified within a collective framework. Since the transition to the new specification sheet, the number of HVE farms has decreased by 1.6 percent for the collective framework and by 6 percent for the individual framework.