climate change

[gloria]

Hello, following global trends in agriculture and the looming concern over food security, has anyone noticed changes in their local agricultural production? For instance, in the south - vineyard owners are very worried about how the summers are getting hotter, affecting wine production. Some vineyard owners are looking into the UK market. Given that France is such a huge agricultural community, is there a national discussion about this?

thanks.

[JandM]

Good question. I've not noticed any big changes here in the southern end of Lot et Garonne where, beside the plum and walnut orchards, it's still the usual mix of maize, sunflowers, wheat and sorghum. Few vines round here. Tobacco seems to have disappeared completely, but that's more to do with markets than climate I imagine.

Kiwis are dotted around these days - I don't know if that's new or if I just hadn't noticed them in the past.

The crop I loath is oilseed rape and that seems to be increasing. It gives some people terrible hay fever and stinks of rotten cabbages when it's damp. If we must have global warming, let's hope it deters the planting of rape. James

[Alan Zoff]

A Dutch friend with a holiday home in the village told us he was moving permanently to Allier as global warming will soon mean he will have a property in a Mediterranean climate bought at a central France price. He is 65....

[LeFrankie]

Champagne vineyard owners are reportedly buying up land across the SE of England as the climate is more suitable in the SE.