LITTLE FRENCH REACTION TO USDA PROPOSED FARM BILL

UNCLAS PARIS 000437 SIPDIS SIPDIS BRUSSELS PASS USEU FOR AGMINCOUNSELOR STATE FOR OES; EUR/ERA AND EB(BIOTECH); STATE PASS USTR FOR MURPHY; USDA/OS/JOHANNS/TERPSTRA; USDA/FAS FOR OA/YOST; OCRA/CURTIS ONA/RIEMENSCHNEIDER FAA/YOUNG; EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE AND ECON GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD EU FR SUBJECT: LITTLE FRENCH REACTION TO USDA PROPOSED FARM BILL ¶1. Reaction among French authorities and media to the recent announcement by USDA of its Farm Bill proposal has been minimal. To date, the daily economic newspaper "Les Echos" has been the only one dedicating a full article on this topic providing primarily factual info as compared to policy analysis. The article does cite positive reactions by Oxfam America and environmental organizations. The website www.pleinchamps.com also mentioned USDA Secretary's announcement and summarized the proposals, commenting that the U.S. Congress will be unwilling to accept such proposals. ¶2. The GOF, including the French Minister of Agriculture, and private form organizations, including the powerful farmers unions, have not yet issued a reaction. (Note: National elections within the French Chambers of Agriculture this week could have delayed any reaction. End Note.) When questioned, the Ministry of Agriculture responded that it will let the European Commission comment on U.S. farm policy proposals. ¶3. Most French press articles on farm policy this week focused on the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) more than domestic U.S. agricultural policy with an emphasis on the French Agricultural Minister's recent clash with EU Trade Commissionner Peter Mandelson on rumors of new EU farm proposals. Today, "Le Figaro" daily newspaper published a long article on the U.S. Congress' "increased protectionism" relative to the former Congress without mentioning the Farm Bill specifically. We expect the media's interest to intensify as DDA discussions proceed. Post will continue to closely monitor and report on this issue. Stapleton