French agriculture hit by hailstorm and heatwave as emergency law faces Senate debate

Severe hail in the Yvelines department devastated 50 hectares of a farmer's fields, destroying maize, colza and wheat crops and leaving only a small fraction of the harvest viable. Across France, an intense heatwave reduced grain weight and caused spring sorghum burns, with national corn yields expected to fall 10‑15% due to water stress.

In the Senate, lawmakers are reviewing the agricultural emergency law passed by the Assembly in early June. The upper house is pushing for stricter measures, including the temporary re‑authorisation of two insecticides, acetamiprid and flupyradifurone, to help mitigate the crisis.

These combined weather events and policy discussions highlight a challenging period for French farmers, who face reduced yields, financial losses and a rapidly evolving regulatory response.