Changes in the Mountain Farming of France: An Analysis of the Relationship between Farm Management and Policy

The objective of this study is to clarify the changes of agriculture in mountainous regions under the Common Agricaltural Policy (CAP) by focusing on the relationship between farm management and agricultural policy in the mountainous regions of France. In particular, a composition of income from subsidies that accounted for the total agricultural income and an investigation on the perspectives of farm households were emphasized. Since the 1960s, structural policy has differentiated between dairy husbandry management and other Mezenc operations, decreased the agricultural population, increased the number of corporation management companies, and increased productivity by agricultural production engineering and the breed improvement of livestock and grain. Meanwhile, production control policy promoted management differentiation between dairy farmers of Mezenc and diversified management types by preferential measures for beef cattle and sheep. As for agricultural income, it was clarified that the dependence of beef cattle farmers and farmers of mixed sheep on subsidies was high because of payment for the number of livestock and because dairy farmers who could not receive payment connected directly to production were disadvantaged in receiving a subsidy. However, it was clarified that cross-compliance (environment compliance rules) for subsidy requirements increased the burden of farm households and, as a result, decreased the motivation for farming operations; hence, there exists a backlash against the system and the government.