Capital/Labour separation in French agriculture: The end of family farming?

While historically the family nature of farms has depended mainly on the fact that capital and labour are in the same hands, developments in the French countryside increasingly challenge this “historical” model; certain production processes found today on farms clearly seem to move away from it. This article, based on statistical data available to date, identifies elements indicating major changes and introduces a few specific cases illustrating major qualitative changes. The analysis then addresses the issue of the transfer of the most capitalised farms and the “flexible farming” model proposed by CER-France (Centre d'Economie Rurale - France). The capital/labour separation process at work and its possible outcome are brought to light, particularly regarding the distribution of value-added.1