Chirac’s close connection to France’s farmers was formed when he was minister of agriculture in the early ‘70s, well before he became president. Between becoming minister of agriculture in 1972 and his retirement from public life in 2011, Chirac missed only one fair – in 1979, following a car accident.
But his relationship with French farmers has not been conflict-free: They did not appreciate his determination to gradually phase out the use of glyphosate and resented being depicted as polluters. During his visit Saturday morning Macron tried to reassure them, saying the popular herbicide would not be banned where there were no alternatives.
