The French farmers' union, FNSEA, hopesFrance will resist European Community (EC) pressures over farm
prices and notably those of the European Commission at coming
ministerial negotiations in Brussels, FNSEA Secretary-General
Luc Guyau said.
    He told a press conference the union was concerned about
the future of the EC Common Agricultural Policy.
    France must define its position well before negotiating and
not just adopt a short term policy, he said.
    The FNSEA, with around 700,000 members, holds its annual
congress next week, when over 500 delegates will debate the
theme of "facing up to the future.
    "The period of change we are going through obliges us to
face up to new challenges," Guyau said, referring specifically
to the demographic changes in French agriculture.
    "Forty-five per cent of our farmers are over 55 years old
this year," he said.
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