Over €1 billion released by the Government to support farmers and ensure continuity of production following the drought

Updated on 08/09/2026

Following an summer marked by heatwaves and drought of exceptional intensity, compounded by numerous wildfires, the Minister of Agriculture, Agri-Food, and Food Sovereignty, Annie Genevard, announced on Friday, 4 September, an exceptional plan worth over €1 billion to support farmers’ cash flows and restart production.

This plan pursues two objectives: on the one hand, to compensate for exceptional losses in order to prevent bankruptcies, and on the other hand, to restart agricultural production by facilitating farmers' access to inputs (fodder, seeds, seedlings, etc.).

Major consequences for our agriculture

Repeated heatwaves and drought have had massive impacts on French agriculture. While the national average temperature for July 2026 (24.9°C) was higher than the previous historical records from 2003 and 1976, 65% of the territory experienced unprecedented drought. As a result, 95 departments were subject to water restrictions, 79 of them classified as being in « crisis » at the height of summer. Crop yield losses average 50% in many areas. In numerous regions, fodder stocks are more than 50% below normal, and all regions are affected by a severely deteriorated agricultural economic situation.

A plan commensurate with the situation

The plan announced by the minister is based on a clear principle: farmers whose crops, fodder, or production tools have been affected must be supported as quickly as possible, in order to preserve the agricultural production fabric.

1. Compensate for exceptional losses rapidly and thus prevent bankruptcies

a. Mobilize the ISN as much as needed

The State commits to mobilizing and supplementing the various loss compensation schemes, to the extent of needs observed on the ground. According to initial estimates, the National Solidarity Compensation Scheme (ISN) should amount to 520 million euros.

The payment of the ISN will be accelerated to enable affected operators to receive their compensation as quickly as possible. Recognition procedures will be adjusted, and the first examination commissions will be reinforced. For insured farmers, the cap on ISN advance payments has already been raised from 70 % to 80 % of the estimated compensation amount, to ensure the earliest possible disbursement of funds to farm accounts.

b. Compensate for losses and support farmers

The plan also provides for mobilizing the agricultural disaster scheme for non-insurable losses related to crops (perennial crops, vineyards, etc.) and animals (cattle, sheep, poultry, etc.), amounting to 30 million euros.

Moreover, in the same aim of reducing the cost of loss compensation, the tax on unbuild land will benefit from local reductions, amounting to over 300 million euros.

Finally, for the future, the reference period used to calculate yield losses will be extended from five to eight years starting with the 2027 campaign, in order to better reflect the recurrence of climatic hazards and thus provide better compensation for farmers. This represents a major reform, successfully negotiated by France in Brussels.

2. Restart production, to avoid loss of agricultural sovereignty

a. Support the restart of activity

To ensure production readiness ahead of the upcoming campaign, both in metropolitan France and in the Antilles, the Minister has established an agricultural rearmament fund of 235 million euros, under the oversight of regional and departmental prefects.

This territorially targeted fund, adapted to the specificities of each territory and production chain, will support farms facing the greatest difficulties, particularly to finance the procurement of inputs (animal feed, fodder, seeds, seedlings, other inputs). This funding also includes a "fires" component to assist farms affected by this summer's wildfires.

National solidarity will also be strengthened to ensure fodder supply for the most exposed livestock farms. Inter-territorial exchanges will continue to be facilitated, and France will continue mobilizing its European partners to ease supply if necessary.

b. Support farmers

The plan also provides for increased coverage of agricultural social contributions (PEC) by the MSA for the autonomous campaign, amounting to 20 million euros. Individualized payment schedules will be introduced to allow the most affected operators to defer payment of their contributions, and support for social and psychological assistance to farmers in difficulty will be strengthened.

Faced with an exceptional climatic year, the Government is also easing certain administrative constraints that have become practically difficult to comply with. The Minister specifically calls for accelerating the rollout of the single inspection system, in order to reduce redundant or successive inspections endured by operators. In addition, prefects are granted the possibility to issue derogations provided for by national and European rules (where local conditions allow), particularly regarding soil coverage.

The Government also announces the continuation of measures aimed at securing the upcoming campaign:

• Extension until December 31, 2026, of the exceptional window for financial assistance in purchasing nitrogen fertilizers, amounting to 145 million euros, including 38 million euros in national credit, to account for the delay in sowing caused by drought;
• Extension until October 2026 of exceptional support for agricultural fuel (GNR) at 15 cents per liter, totaling 106 million euros, to support autumn agricultural operations.

c. Continue the efforts undertaken and prepare for the future

This plan supplements various decisions already taken by the Minister in June and July, such as derogations for early valorization of fallow land, an increase in the advance payment rate for national solidarity compensation, an increase in the PAC advance payment rate, authorization of derogations for stocking rules, immediate release of additional capacity for animal burial, and loans for improving livestock ventilation.

In addition, it complements the climate change adaptation measures relaunched or strengthened this year (Mediterranean Agriculture Plan, call for projects on orchard renovation and varietal innovation, agricultural water fund, PARSADA).

Full mobilization of the State

To ensure the plan's implementation, the involvement of all State services will be maximized. Since July, each department has had a drought cell bringing together State services, agricultural chambers, professional organizations, the [MSA](/Outils/Glossaire2/(namefilter)/MSA (Agricultural Social Security Fund), banking actors, and all other relevant partners; these cells have been institutionalized and will continue carrying out their missions.

The minister has also established a national cell specifically dedicated to rolling out the aid plan, coordinated with the cells set up by prefects.

« The drought this summer threatens our agricultural sovereignty on two fronts: by severely degrading certain treasury reserves, and by increasing the risk of lower production recovery for the 2027 campaign, especially as it compounds existing difficulties with fuel and fertilizers.

The plan I am presenting today addresses this dual challenge: it compensates for exceptional losses to prevent bankruptcies, and it prepares for the revival of agricultural production. This is a significant financial effort, symbolizing national solidarity and the commitment of all our citizens to French agriculture. »

Beyond this, I continue and intensify the adaptation of agriculture to climate change, which has been my priority since day one of my appointment. By promoting future-oriented agricultural projects and offering them fiscal advantages, by strengthening the agricultural water fund, and by safeguarding other plans, we are shaping tomorrow’s agriculture—more resilient to the impacts of climate disruption.

Annie Genevard, Minister of Agriculture, Agrofood, and Food Sovereignty

[Download CASI Agriculture Plan

PDF - 1.18 MB - 08/09/2026](/contenu/telechargement/72107/551706/file/2609_PlanCASI.pdf)

[Download Press Release - CASI Agriculture Plan](/contenu/telechargement/72107/551706/file/2609_CommuniqueCASI.pdf)

PDF - 0.31 Mb - 08/09/2026](/contenu/telechargement/72108/551711/file/20260904-CP-plan CASI.pdf)

Documents listed in the article

* [Download CASI Agriculture Plan

PDF - 1.18 Mb - 08/09/2026](/contenu/telechargement/72107/551706/file/2609_PlanCASI.pdf)

* [Download Press Release - CASI Agriculture Plan

PDF - 0.31 Mb - 08/09/2026](/contenu/telechargement/72108/551711/file/20260904-CP-plan CASI.pdf)