Overview
- The Senate voted 219–111 late Thursday into Friday to adopt a version of the government's emergency agricultural bill that loosens several environmental constraints.
- Senators led by co-rapporteur Laurent Duplomb inserted provisions to allow temporary, targeted reuses of some banned pesticides including acetamiprid and eased rules on water storage, wetlands and livestock buildings.
- The government publicly rejected many Senate changes and Minister Annie Genevard warned that the pesticide measure in particular could sink the whole text if not removed in talks.
- A commission mixte paritaire of 14 deputies and senators will meet on July 16 to reconcile the two chambers' sharply different texts and produce a single version for final votes.
- The bill responds to winter farmers' protests and wins support from the FNSEA while environmental groups, left parties and some farming unions mobilise over public health, biodiversity and water-access concerns.