French Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard announced the lifting of almost all regulated zones, introduced to combat the epidemic of Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle. The decision was made just before the opening of the International Agricultural Show in Paris, which begins tomorrow. Despite the improved sanitary situation, this year's edition of the fair will go down in history as the first during which visitors will not see any cattle on display.
The French government has officially announced the end of the most severe phase of the sanitary crisis, which had paralyzed local cattle farming for eight months. The Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, informed on Friday morning that since January 2, 2026, no new cases of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) have been recorded. Consequently, a decision was made to lift almost all restrictions on animal movement. The exception is a small area in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, due to its proximity to a disease outbreak in Spain. This decision is crucial for the agricultural sector, enabling farmers to return to normal trade and economic activity. This announcement coincides with the opening of the International Agricultural Show (SIA) in Paris, known as 'France's largest farm'. Despite the optimistic news, the organizers upheld an unprecedented decision: not a single cow will appear at the fair, which runs from February 21 to March 1. This is the first such occurrence since the event's inception in 1964. The absence of livestock is a major image blow, which has caused tensions between the government and farmers, who previously criticized the strategy of total herd culling. French agriculture has been a cornerstone of the country's political identity for decades, and the president's annual visit to the Salon de l'Agriculture is considered a mandatory popularity test among the conservative rural electorate. <cytat autor=