French dairy farmers protest low milk prices amid drought

In the Haute‑Marne region, Agnès Aubertin Hugueny and Guy Millot, co‑presidents of the departmental dairy producers federation, warned that a severe drought cut forage yields by up to 50 % and reduced milk output by 10 %. They said the current farmgate price of €405 per 1,000 L is below the production cost of €478, leaving farmers a loss of about €50 per 1,000 L and risking decapitalisation of their holdings.

At the same time, sheep‑milk producers in the Roquefort basin (OPBR) are facing a proposed €20 per 1,000 L price cut for the 2026‑27 campaign by Lactalis’ Société des Caves. The producers, led by Sébastien Ginisty, protested the move in Saint‑Germain, Aveyron, citing low earnings—about 1.2 SMIC on average over five years—and the added pressure of rising input costs linked to the Middle‑East conflict. Both groups are demanding higher milk prices and support to sustain their farms.