Good Practice - Project
A 25-year-old farmer from Normandy sets themselves up in hen production
CAP funds enable a young farmer to set up her hen breeding farm and meet the conditions for applying for a quality label in poultry production.
General information
RDP Priority
- P2. Competitiveness
RDP Focus Area
- 2A: Farm’s performance, restructuring & modernisation
- 2B: Entry of skilled/younger farmers
RDP Measure
- M04: Investments in physical assets
- M06: Farm & business development
Beneficiary type
- Young farmer
Summary
In 2020, after studying animal husbandry, a young 25-year-old farmer decided to start her own agricultural activity. With support from the EAFRD through the ‘Dotation Jeunes Agriculteurs’ scheme, which grants financial support for young farmers, Morine Limare was able to acquire a livestock building, as well as sufficient land to develop hen production. Her commitment to animal welfare, local food production, and sustainable agriculture led her to seek certification from the ‘Label Rouge’: a French quality assurance label awarded to products that have been produced or prepared according to a set of criteria that ensure a superior quality over other similar products.
Results
- The farm is currently breeding around 12 000 hens.
- The young farmer was able to apply for the “Label Rouge”.
Promoter
Morine Limare
Funding
RDP contribution: 220 000 (EUR)
EAFRD: 25 000 (EUR)
National/Regional: 195 000 (EUR)
Ressources
Documents
Good Practice Report - A 25-year-old farmer from Normandy sets themselves up in hen production
(PDF – 807.39 Ko)
Liens
Context
In 2020, a 25-year-old farmer and her partner decided to develop their own agricultural business, based around hens and egg production. Raised in a family that works in agriculture, Morine Limare had studied animal husbandry before setting out plans to embark upon her own business activity. Together with her partner, François Roussel, she applied to the RDP-funded “Dotation Jeunes Agriculteurs” (financial support for young farmers) for financial support to set up a hen-rearing facility.
Objectives
The main aims of the project were to develop local, sustainable agriculture, and promote farmers' economic autonomy.
Activities
Project activities included:
- acquiring a building with a capacity of about 4 400 hens;
- acquiring 10 400 m2 of land in order to meet the Label Rouge requirements for certification;
- acquiring hens in order to begin breeding.
Main results
- The farm currently breeds around 12 000 hens, and produces certified organic eggs.
- Thanks to the support received, the young farmers were able to apply for the “Label Rouge”, a national label indicating that a product is produced in accordance with several quality criteria.
Key lessons
- Nowadays, it is very difficult to start a new business activity as a young farmer, because of the costs involved in setting up infrastructure and accessing sufficient land to develop an agricultural project. In the Seine-Maritime County, in the Normandy Region, Morine is one of the few young women working in hen production. To guarantee the sustainability of her activity, she relies on partnership- working with friends and other locals. Given this close community context, the “Dotation Jeunes Agriculteurs” (financial support for young farmers) funded by the CAP brings real added value to rural economies and encourages young people to enter farming.
- There are still cultural barriers to overcome in the development of environmentally sustainable, local food production. For example, many people do not want a livestock building near their home, but at the same time we expect more and more from our food products. There is work to be done here, to align expectations and mindsets, to improve harmony between awareness about agricultural interests and, equally, the interest of others, and to promote local food production.
Even if it is difficult, I am happy to get installed in agriculture. I wish to contribute to local food production and to the diffusion of new mindsets in this field.