Browse Data and Analysis

France, as a member of the European Union (EU), generally follows EU directives, regulations, and obligations. This report focuses on food laws in force in France that cover areas which are not EU harmonized. EU regulations are explained in the Food...

The French livestock industry depends on imported genetically engineered (GE) feed, especially soybean, rapeseed, and corn. However, France has no commercial production or field trials of GE crops. While most French scientists and farmers are generally supportive of biotechnology, consumer attitudes toward GE are primarily negative.

On January 24, 2022 the French State Council provisionally overruled the December 2021 ministerial order banning the sale of raw CBD hemp flowers and leaves. The court noted that the flowers and leaves of cannabis sativa L. with a THC content of less than 0.3 percent were “devoid of narcotic properties” and could therefore be marketed in France.

The French Government announced this week that ducks on two farms in southwestern France were infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

France is the largest producer of sugar beets in Europe growing just over 30 percent of EU27+UK ‘s production in MY 2019/2020.

France’s 2020 wheat harvest, estimated to be about 31 million metric tons (MMT), means a 25 decline in production as compared to 2019 because of unfavorable weather conditions.

More than 70 percent of French household food purchases are made in supermarkets, discount stores, and smaller local stores.

The French government’s agricultural research institute found that banning glyphosate will significantly increase production costs for French farmers practicing no-till and conservation agriculture.

In May 2020 France notified the European Commission of its intention to delist in-vitro random mutagenesis with chemical or physical agents to comply with French Council of State’s February 2020...

The French food processing sector is valued at $212 billion with over 17,650 food processors from small family owned businesses to some of the largest food companies in the world.

On April 8, 2020 France published its fifth emergency decree banning fresh cherry imports from countries where the use of the chemical dimethoate is permitted in cherry production.

Clusters of COVID-19 cases have been found in workers at three French slaughterhouses since April.