France, Feb. 21 -- French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal outlined a package of measures on Wednesday aimed at reassuring farmers that agriculture remained a top priority for the government.

Attal's attempt at appeasement came three days before the start of the annual Salon de l'Agriculture in Paris.

"France must be sovereign. Agricultural sovereignty is our course," Attal told a press conference.

Flanked by Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau and Christophe Bechu - who holds the Ecological Transition portfolio - Attal added: "We want to place agriculture among the nation's fundamental interests in the same way as our defence or our security.

"I would remind you that there can be no country without farmers....