Agriculture show opens in paris

THE KEY EVENT IN THE FARMING CALENDAR IS ALSO AN ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE FOR POLITICIANS LOOKING TO SHORE UP THE RURAL VOTE THE most important event in the French farming community calendar, the

Salon de l'Agriculture, opens this weekend in Paris. The event is also an annual pilgrimage for politicians looking to shore up the rural vote and with regional elections coming up on

March 14, the "biggest farm in the world" (as it is called) is likely to be a political battlefield. Expect appearances from Jacques Chirac, a popular figure at the event spending

hours sampling produce and mixing with stallholders, and Nicolas Sarkozy (whose notorious "casse-toi, pauvre con" incident at the show in 2008 which cemented a rapid drop in the

polls). A further 600,000 visitors are expected over the course of the event from February 27 until March 7. There are thousands of stalls and chances to sample the best of France’s cheese,

wine, beer, honey and more. There are also stalls for goods from France’s overseas territories. The salon's awards _Le Concours Général Agricole_ have been presented since 1870 and are

highly prized. They go to wines, livestock, dairy produce and an array of other drinks and dishes. Among the livestock on show include rare cow breeds such as the Armoricaine, Béarnaise and

Bretonne _pie noire_. The website has been beefed up this year with floor maps and an events calendar. You can also buy tickets online. A new research hub will show the impact of

agro-research on the environment - the theme of this year’s salon is sustainable development. With the farming industry in turmoil over low prices this show at the Porte de Versailles is a

chance to celebrate the best of the country’s produce and producers. www.salon-agriculture.com RELATED STORIES Jose Bové avoids jail for GM attack Sarkozy 'get lost' heckler loses

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