The government announces a drastic decrease in the budget of the organic agency – Liberation

The organic sector spent by losses and profits to the pace of budgetary crises. The Ministry of Agriculture announced this Tuesday, May 20 at the Bio Agency, responsible for the development and structuring of the sector, which it was going to undergo a drastic drop in its budget. In detail, the government provides for the abolition of the 5 million euros dedicated to its communication and nearly 10 million euros to support projects for the year 2025. A decision denounced by the structure, for which the sector is « abandoned ».

« In a complicated budgetary context with the drying up of the recovery plan and ecological planning, the ministry prioritizes credits on the structuring of the sector in consultation with professionals »justified the ministry.

He thus confirmed the abolition of the 5 million euros in the communication budget and the reduction of the allocation of the Avenir Bio, which goes from 18 million in 2024, the year during which the envelope had increased significantly, to 8.6 million for 2025.

Measures that have enough to arouse the concern of the members of the agency. « It is an essential sector of agriculture (…) which is abandoned, in reverse of history »deplored the agency this Tuesday evening, denouncing « A historical decline in his means (-64 %) « .

« The ambitions of development of organic farming cannot be held »added the organic agency, stressing the contradiction « With the objectives set by the government » to reach 18 % of the useful agricultural area in organic by 2027, compared to around 10 % today.

A budget of five million per year from 2024 to 2026 had been allocated to a massive communication campaign, called « It’s organic France ». It must be launched with great fanfare Thursday on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Bio label to revitalize the consumption of these products, undermined by several years of strong inflation.

The 2024 budget has been spent and will notably finance the two waves of television advertising campaigns scheduled for May and September.

Beyond this deadline, the agency does not know how it will continue to promote these foods from agriculture without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, even though it observes the beginnings of a resumption of consumption.

The abolition of this budget comes after a controversy on an advertising spot. Release had reported in mid-April that the ministry wanted to replace, in the spot, a couscous with a cassoulet and choose a « Caucasian cast » When a Métis actor was suggested. The ministry had not denied, explaining that the campaign had the ambition to represent « all the French ».

More generally, the organic agency is in vagueness about its future. Its leaders must be heard Thursday in the Senate by the commission of inquiry into the missions of agencies, operators and advisory organizations of the State.

The hypothesis of a merger with another entity, or even the abolition of the organic agency, has been mentioned several times among the savings.

The operating budget of this national platform – 2.9 million euros – had been threatened by an amendment to the senatorial right to the 2025 finance bill, to which Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard (LR) had not opposed. It was finally maintained after a lifting of general shields of agricultural unions and agrifood sectors.

The organization was also afraid to see the envelope of the Avenir Bio, intended to support development projects, undergo « A stroke of the plane ». In 2024, this fund had been abundant by 5 million euros for credits from ecological planning. In 2025, it will be almost divided by two, at 8.6 million euros, according to the notification sent Tuesday to the organic agency.

“In 2025, the sustainable aid for maintenance and conversion were continued. The ministry also mobilized to ensure that the Avenir Organic fund was maintained ”, ensures this Tuesday the ministry, adding that organic farming is « An essential pillar » of its policy.

« We will end up believing that Minister Annie Genevard wants at all costs the skin of Organic farming. By blocking the revival of consumption, it is above all the organic farmers that it penalizes ”, reacted the co -president of the National Federation of Organic Agriculture (FNAB) Loïc Madeline.

« The ministry has just found 30 million euros to save the hazelnut sector which represents 350 farms in France, but its pockets are empty when it comes to the 60,000 organic farms that produce a healthy food and protect resources »he continues, recalling that the government has rejected the distribution of European aid dedicated to organic and not spent on a later date, taking into account the decrease in conversions over the past two years.