Five groups push for soil health as a priority

Five organizations launched a joint initiative on 2 November to make soil health a "national priority" in France. The initiative, called a "pact," seeks to influence political discussions ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. The groups involved are Apad, Base, Bleu-Blanc-Cœur, Earthworm Foundation, and Pour une Agriculture du Vivant. They aim to bring soil conservation practices into the political spotlight and shape future policies.

Four main goals outlined

The organizations have identified four main commitments. First, they want soil regeneration and conservation to be a "priority of public policy" and a "strategic objective." They also aim to incorporate these practices into the Rural and Maritime Fisheries Code. A second goal is the creation of a French observatory of agricultural soil health, aligned with the European directive on soil monitoring. This would help create a shared understanding of soil health among various stakeholders.

Focus on education and risk-sharing

The third commitment centers on agricultural education, with the organizations wanting soil regeneration practices to be a "priority foundation" in the "Teach to Produce Differently" plan. The fourth commitment involves sharing the financial risks taken by farmers transitioning to these practices. They propose using the "multiannual priority transition plans" from the agricultural orientation law to fund such transitions and suggest a mechanism to cover losses caused by these changes, co-financed by the State, supply chains, and insurers.

Long-term vision and support

The five associations aim to make France a "European reference" in soil regeneration and conservation by 2035. They argue the next five years will be critical for implementing the European directive on soil monitoring and resilience, scheduled for 2028, and for executing the "multiannual priority transition plans." Experts and farmers, including biologist Marc-André Sélosse and farmer Frédéric Thomas, founder of Techniques Culturales Simplifiées, have endorsed the initiative. The groups now urge 2027 presidential candidates to make "concrete commitments" on these four priorities to advance soil regeneration and conservation nationwide.