Crisis and Adaptation: 1980s-1990s

The 1980s brought new challenges. European agricultural surpluses led to quotas and set-asides. The productivist model that had driven post-war modernization reached its limits. Environmental regulations, responding to pollution and habitat loss, constrained farming practices. BSE (mad cow disease) and other food scares shook consumer confidence in industrial agriculture.

Rural France responded with remarkable creativity. Quality production replaced quantity for many producers. The AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) system, long established for wine, expanded to cheeses, meats, and vegetables. Farmers' markets revived. Direct sales, agritourism, and on-farm processing offered alternatives to commodity production.

The rise of the European Union brought new frameworks. CAP reforms gradually shifted from production support to rural development. LEADER programs encouraged local initiatives. Cross-border cooperation opened new perspectives. Yet EU expansion also meant competition from lower-cost producers, challenging French agriculture's viability.