France: Marc Fesneau promises state support for sick cattle farms

To support cattle breeders affected by epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau affirmed this Thursday from a farm in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques that “The State will be there”, while France has more than 2,100 outbreaks of the epidemic. “The State will be there to take care of everyone,” assured the minister from Sébastien Capdevielle’s breeding farm in Monein. Seven of his cows contracted the disease when they were pregnant. All have lost their calves and one is still sick. In the enclosure, the emaciated animal has lost around 200 kilos and can barely stand up, explains the 35-year-old breeder. His veterinarian, Eric Lamazou, speaks of a “health storm”: of the 450 farms he follows, “200 have declared the disease”. Also read: “Instead of hitting our cattle farmers, let’s stop importing meat from the other side of the world!” Disturbation of trade In a few weeks, since the first cases in mainland France spotted in September in the southwest, the ...