The Fédération des Coopératives Vinicoles de la Champagne supports Champagne winegrowers in the management of their land

Epernay, April 12, 2019 – The Fédération des Coopératives Vinicoles de la Champagne (FCVC) today unveiled the creation of Foncière France Valley Champagne, a new solution available to cooperatives to help their cooperative members, but also all Champagne winegrowers, with their land issues.

Access to land, a major challenge for Champagne winegrowers

The land is the working tool of the winegrowers. However, today, the land market is under tension and becoming more and more expensive. The vineyards of the Champagne appellation are no exception to this rule, and the stakes are all the more crucial since, according to the latest figures from SAFER Grand Est (2018), the average value of the AOC parcels in Champagne is 1.1 million euros per hectare.

This cost hinders land ownership for many farmers but also the establishment of young cooperators. Winegrowers must be able to invest in their vineyards on a long-term basis. However, the high land price weakens farms.

A new tool for Champagne winegrowers

Wine cooperatives have always supported their cooperative members on the land issues they face and enabled them to preserve family farms. They offer various tools for the benefit of their cooperative partners, such as direct purchase or through a subsidiary, land portability via wine-growing land groups, or land reserve agreements proposed by SAFER Grand Est (temporary portability for a maximum of 5 years).

The Fédération des Coopératives Vinicoles de la Champagne is now carrying out a new project aimed at consolidating existing farms and facilitating the installation of young winegrowers who are the future of the sector.

Foncière France Valley Champagne, launched by the France Valley management company, in close partnership with SAFER and the Fédération des Coopératives Vinicoles de la Champagne, aims to acquire vines from the Champagne appellation to give them to winegrowers. It constitutes a new solution both for cooperatives (and their members) and for all Champagne winegrowers, who will also be able to access the system.

This new land structure therefore allows them to continue to benefit from the fruits of their labour. Indeed, thanks to this new tool, cooperatives are now strengthening their services to support winegrowers who wish to maintain or expand their farms and are confronted with essentially financial problems.

“The strength of the cooperative model lies in its flexibility, diversity and sustainability. But also in its solidarity and commitment to find solutions to the problems of its members. With this new land structure, we are increasing the number of solutions offered to cooperatives to help them meet the expectations of winegrowers on the land,” says Éric Potié, President of the Fédération des Coopératives Vinicoles de la Champagne.