Fernanda Jarry's role change

Fernanda Jarry, a 52-year-old agricultural producer, is moving from the role of collaborator spouse to co-exploitation manager, despite worries about added financial pressure. She previously chose the collaborator spouse status because it allowed her to work on the farm without a formal job, offering social benefits and flexibility to care for her children, including her 14-year-old daughter with a hearing impairment.

Collaborator spouse status background

The collaborator spouse status was introduced in 1999 to provide social protection for many farmers’ wives who otherwise would not have had benefits. However, the Chassaigne law, which limits this status to five years per career, means that by the end of 2026, nearly 9,400 of the 16,000 registered collaborator spouses will need to change their status to ensure more comprehensive social protection.

Fernanda's emotional response

Fernanda Jarry described feeling "evicted from my farm" when she learned of the change, fearing she might have to take a factory job. This led to sleepless nights and depression, but an MSA advisor, Isabelle Clanchier, helped her understand the reform and its potential benefits.

Challenges of transitioning

Isabelle Clanchier notes that many women in similar positions manage administrative and marketing tasks rather than operating machinery. The transition has raised concerns about costs, especially in an already difficult economic climate. Fernanda Jarry’s farm, which includes 22 hectares of chestnut trees, free-range poultry, and fallow deer, has faced issues like reduced chestnut yields due to drought and rising costs for gas and animal feed.

Financial implications

Clanchier suggests creating a company (GAEC or SCEA) and slightly increasing production, but the Jarrys find this financially unfeasible. She acknowledges that those with higher incomes and larger staff had an easier time transitioning. For the Jarrys, becoming co-exploiters in 2027 will share the farm's income but add 2,000 euros per year in contributions, which they call their "vacation budget." In the early years, they will benefit from a gradually decreasing relief of contributions to ease the financial burden.