Drought: Farmers forced to draw on their winter reserves

French farmland is suffering severely from the intense summer heat. At the agricultural fair held on Sunday, August 23rd in Saint-Denis-d'Orques, farmers shared their growing difficulties. The lack of fodder is becoming critical. The soil is so hard that even normal farming practices are impossible on some farms.

Farmers in French-speaking Switzerland are sacrificing their livestock.

In French-speaking Switzerland, the situation has pushed livestock farmers into a dead end. Deprived of pasture grass, they are massively depleting their winter reserves months ahead of schedule. The persistent lack of rainfall is forcing them to make drastic choices: many are selling off their livestock to avoid a total forage shortage this winter. Slaughterhouses are experiencing unusual strain due to this influx of animals.

This dilemma—feeding the animals now versus risking winter starvation—is undermining the morale of the professionals. Fatigue is mounting. Anxiety is growing as the weather refuses to show any significant improvement.