Farm distress: Solidarité paysans warns after a "catastrophic" year

Concerns about farmer distress continue to grow in France following 2025, a year described as "catastrophic" for the sector. Solidarité paysans, an association that has been helping struggling farmers for nearly thirty-five years, published its first annual report on Wednesday detailing the difficulties facing the profession.

The report is based on monitoring a cohort of over 3,600 livestock farmers and cultivators supported by the association throughout 2025. It aims to provide an assessment of the economic, social and psychological difficulties faced by parts of the French farming community.

"People are at their breaking point," the association summarizes the situation, pointing to the accumulation of pressures weighing on farmers: income instability, workload, isolation, and uncertainties stemming from climate fluctuations and regulatory changes in the sector.

Solidarité paysans has been working with struggling farmers for several decades, providing social, economic and sometimes legal support to farmers facing financial or personal difficulties that could threaten the viability of their operations.

The publication of this first annual report reflects the association's desire to more broadly document the extent of farm distress in France, a concern that remains a constant priority for public authorities and agricultural professional organizations.