The European Commission opens the door to a new derogation on fallow land. These lands that farmers undertake not to cultivate in particular to reinforce the presence of micro-organisms in the soil.
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Farmers are hoping for a relaxation of fallow obligations. The European Commission announced on Tuesday January 30 that it was considering a new derogation from these rules which oblige farmers to keep part of their land in a natural state. To benefit from European aid, farmers are required to keep 4% of their agricultural land fallow or non-productive areas, the aim being to create refuges for biodiversity, and to help restore soil fertility.
After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the European Commission suspended the application of this rule in order to be able to produce more and compensate in particular for the disruptions in cereal supply linked to the conflict. But this exemption ended at the end of 2023. Farmers from around ten European states, including France, are demanding its extension for 2024. This is also a demand from the FNSEA and the Rural Coordination. Gabriel Attal underlined this on Tuesday in his general policy declaration: Brussels seems ready to let go.
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Fallowing has long been used to regenerate soil. In 2017, work by the national agronomic research institute (INRA) showed that effectively fallowing land over a long period makes it possible to strengthen the presence of microorganisms in the soil, to increase the capture of carbon, and to protect the presence of insects and birds in the areas concerned. All this goes in the direction of more sustainable agriculture. The difficulty is not to encroach too much on production capacities.
This figure of 4% of land left fallow does not come from a study concluding that it is a scientific ideal. It is the result of a negotiation to bring together ecological services and agricultural production. A first step, which is likely to evolve. These 4% of non-productive areas are not necessarily gained from crop areas. Ponds, ditches, groves, hedges which cannot be cultivated also count in this 4% of “fallow”. In certain plots, depending on the region, there are many. The impact of this obligation on production therefore varies greatly depending on the farm.
