Overview
- Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard ordered a 15-day suspension of bovine exports on October 17, with exceptions for animals sent directly to abattoirs.
- Veterinary authorities mandated total depopulation in contaminated zones to contain the insect-borne virus, which does not affect humans.
- Confirmed cases have been reported in multiple departments including Jura and Pyrénées-Orientales, with Occitanie enforcing bans on livestock markets.
- Farmers’ group Coordination Rurale rallied at the Saint-Gaudens sub-prefecture on October 21 to protest mass culling and seek concrete support.
- Blocked shipments of calves and young cattle to Italy, Spain and Tunisia are crushing cash flow during the autumn sales period for a sector that exported about 1.3 million young bovines in 2024.