French farmers warm to Macron as he calls on EU to keep budget big

European Union agriculture is threatened by divisions inside the EU and competition from rival trading blocs, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday, calling for a large budget to defend EU goals on food quality and environmental protection. Macron's speech at Paris' annual farm show - an unmissable event for French politicians - was warmly received, in stark contrast to a year ago when was booed by farmers angry at low prices for producers.

France is the EU's biggest agricultural producer and the main beneficiary of its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which is due to be renegotiated this year just as Britain, a net budget contributor, is set to quit the bloc.