The Confederation Paysanne have just published their  Manuel d’auto-défense pour les paysannes et paysans. It is a guide to the rather confusing rules and laws that govern the production, transformation and sales of aromatic and medicinal plants here in France. It covers the rules about what can and cannot be grown, what products can and cannot be made into essential oils, what can be used in agricultural production and what can be used as medicines for animals.

Basically it is a legal minefield, for example plants have been used in medicine for as long as medicine has existed. However as plant sellers we have no right to explain what medicinal benefits particular plants have, despite any scientific evidence that might exist, we are not Doctors, or large Pharma companies so what do we know right? Of course the law doesn’t stop us saying that a thyme and rosemary tea with a drop of honey helps sooth a sore throat and ease a cold, but what I am doing is technically illegal. I usually get round it by saying that I find that such and such helps me when I have a cold, or using a formula like, “In the times past people used x to help with y”.

What the Confederation Paysanne have done in the Manuel d’auto-défense pour les paysannes et paysans  is bring together a collection of plant producers and legal experts to highlight the existing legislation here in France and at a European level, it is not exhaustive but it does cover the key points as it affects most of us.

As well as outlining the present legislative framework they have also produced their ideas for reform yo make a coherent, and sustainable production possible.

This is a really great initiative and once again shows the great work the  Confederation Paysanne is doing to campaign for a sustainable human scale agricultural system.

The Manuel d’auto-défense pour les paysannes et paysans can de downloaded free as a PDF by clicking on the following link Manuel d’auto-défense pour les paysannes et paysans