US accusations that the French are a nation of "cheese-eating surrender monkeys," following criticism of Uncle Sam's foreign policy, were never designed to win friends and impress people in the fifth republic. But distinctly chilly relations between the two countries could be warming, at least when it comes to farm policy, judging by a visit to one of Europe's leading farm shows SIMA staged just north of Paris this week.
"In terms of farm support, Paris and Washington are on the same wavelength - they want to support farmers but Brussels and London to do not share that view."
Those comments from Michel Masson, central regional president of the farmers' union FRSEA hit me with an unexpected force. Thinking about it, France and the US do place high value on the contributions of their farmers not only to their national economies but also to food security and to the countryside. The US view is particularly clear from US agriculture secretary Mike Johanns' latest proposals for the next Farm Bill. It's clear the US has no intention of abandoning its farmers to the full ravages of free market forces as many politicians from all political parties say they would like to do in Britain.
In France too, government support for farmers seems non negotiable. Emmaneul Lachaize, vice president of the young farmers' movement Jeunes Agricultures told me yesterday at the SIMA Show: "We have to be realistic. If we stop PAC (CAP) payments we will lose half of the Farmers in France because agriculture is not sustainable without support."
Whatever your view about the need for farm support, it's difficult to avoid the conclusion that Paris is far closer to Washington than London or Brussels in terms of the priority it places on nurturing a vibrant farming industry and the countryside within its care.