France pushes emergency farm law to ease building rules, permit wolf culling and expand poultry farms

The French National Assembly voted to simplify regulations for agricultural buildings under the emergency farm law, allowing the government to issue ordinances that reduce administrative hurdles for enlarging livestock facilities. An amendment also makes defensive shooting of wolves “presumed legitimate” in cases of imminent attack, raising the allowed kill quota and authorising night‑vision rifles for hunters.

A separate article in the bill creates a special environmental authorization regime for large‑scale poultry sites, sparking debate over “mega‑poultry” projects that could house up to a million birds. Environmental groups and opposition parties warn this could weaken pollution safeguards.

Meanwhile, grain growers in the Grand Est region warn that soaring fertilizer and fuel costs and historically low wheat prices threaten France’s food sovereignty. One farmer is quoted saying, “Tout augmente, sauf le prix du blé !” and another notes, “Depuis trois ans, le prix du blé ne couvre plus nos coûts de production.”

A coalition of more than 50 Michelin‑starred chefs has also issued an urgent appeal, criticizing the law as favouring pure productivity over the health of soils and the quality of French cuisine. As one signatory put it, “La compétitivité seule est un mirage ; la santé et la souveraineté, elles, sont des questions de survie.”