Analysis and determinants of the performances evolution of sheep for meat and suckler cattle farms in less favored areas from 1990 to 2012

Abstract

Over the past twenty years the Common Agricultural Policy reforms succeeded one another with, initially, subsidies provided to compensate the erosion of farm meat prices. Support was given to grassland or extensive farming systems. Despite this, the farm income of these farms remained on average among the lowest of all French farms. One response to the CAP, but also to market signals and hazards, has been a constant increase in the size of farms and labor productivity (by 30-80% in 20 years according to the regions) accompanied by a simplification of practices, for a near stagnation in the net income per worker, in constant euros. These observations from sheep and suckler cattle networks over the long term from the INRA Clermont-Theix lead to questions about the economies of scale concepts, and about the direction of future agricultural policies.