La place de la viande bovine dans les divers types d'agriculture

The position of meat in various types of agriculture measures which could influence their evolution The great diversity within French agriculture makes necessary an analysis of the reaction of these different types to government measures in order that an efficient policy of encouragement of beef may be defined. Farms are classified in homogeneous sub-groups according to their behaviour when faced with growth area and stock between 1963 and 1967. This classification bears out the hypothesis according to which it is the coincidence between the periods favourable to autofinancing in the family, a favorable market situation and, perhaps, some form of technical progress, which brings about a growth in family farms. The most developed ones have an average size of 18-20 hectares in 1963 and include the highest proportion of young farmers. The farms are in first phase of life, that is to say they are set up and are getting off the ground. The type of stock-raising practised (young, lean animals, or fattening of steers) depends on the type of growth adopted : development or similarity with use of factors at the beginning of growth. A coherent policy must have influence at all levels : production of lean meat, fattening, slaughtering, sales. The limitation of the production of lean meat prevents any rapid increase in the production of meat and makes the setting up of industrial forms of fattening difficult. In some regions in Central France, it is possible to turn towards the ranch-type farm. More generally an intensive, integrated system seems to be the easiest solution to generalize. It all depends on the future evolution of land structures an the professional qualifications of the breeders. An excessive increase in age in the active population engaged in agriculture could prevent the efforts to rationalize stock-raising.