Order of Agricultural Merit (France)

The Order of Agricultural Merit is one of four departmental awards (the Order of the Academic Palms , the Order of the Sea of ​​Merit and the Order of Arts and Literature ) preserved during the 1963 Order Reform , which abolished numerous departmental orders of merit in favor of one newly established National Order of Merit .

The order was established on July 7, 1883 by the Minister of Agriculture of France, Jules Melin, to be awarded for merits and achievements in the field of agriculture. According to the founders, this order was to play the role and significance of the Order of the Legion of Honor for agricultural workers. It was even planned to carry out the design of the badges of the order close to the design of the Order of the Legion of Honor, but this was not implemented.

Initially, the order had one cavalier degree, but by decree of June 18, 1887, an officer degree was established, and by decree of August 3, 1900, the highest degree of the order was established - the command.

The first statute was adopted on July 27, 1896 , by which the Order Council was established to discuss candidates for awarding. On July 30, 1913, the 2nd version of the statute was adopted, which transformed the Order Council into the High Council of the Order. Finally, on June 15, 1959, Decree No. 59-729 was followed by the adoption of the current ^[1] Statute, which was amended by Decree of June 21, 1993 No. 93-865 and November 4, 1999 No. 99-938.

The award is made by the Minister of Agriculture of France with the assistance of the High Council of the Order. The Council consists of 8 members “by right” (the Minister, a member of the Council of the Legion of Honor, heads of departments and institutions of the Ministry of Agriculture) and 8 members appointed for 3 years by the order commanders with significant authority in the agricultural sector.

The order, conceived as a high distinction, immediately became popular and began to suffer high inflation . At the establishment, a quota of 4 thousand gentlemen was established, subject to a maximum of 200 awards per year. But already in the year of its foundation, the number of gentlemen exceeded 1 thousand people, in 1887 it reached 2 thousand, and by 1895 it exceeded 8 thousand. Due to the rapid depreciation of the award, conditions were adopted restricting access to it. In 1896, it was established that a cavalier may be one who "has been carrying out any activity in the field of agriculture for at least 15 years, or has at least 15 years of agricultural practice . " In 1913, the age limit for cavaliers was established - at least 30 years old, and a time period was established for awarding the senior degree - at least 4 years after being awarded the junior degree (while the experience in agriculture was reduced to 10 years). Also, for various misconduct by a cavalier, by decision of the Council, they could be expelled from the order. In 1959, the agricultural experience was again raised to 15 years, and the time interval between degrees was increased to 5 years. In 1993-1999, it was possible to obtain a commander’s degree no earlier than 10 years after being awarded an officer’s degree (5 years were restored in 1999).

Currently, ^[1] the following quotas apply for the annual number of awards established by decree No. 93-865 of June 21, 1993 : no more than 60 commanders, 800 officers and 3,200 cavaliers per year.

In 1992, the Association of Members of the Order of Agricultural Merit (AMOMA) was established.

The Order of Agricultural Merit consists of three degrees:

• Commander ( French Commandeur ) - a sign on a ribbon worn around the neck; highest degree of the order;
• Officer ( French Officier ) - a badge on a ribbon with a rosette worn on the left side of the chest;
• Cavalier ( Fr. Chevalier ) - a sign on the tape, worn on the left side of the chest.

Awarding the order are made sequentially, from the youngest to the senior.

Persons not younger than 30 years of age who enjoy civil rights and have at least 15 years of real experience and merit in the field of agriculture, the agricultural industry, in state agricultural institutions or in the scientific field related to agriculture can be awarded the cavalier degree of the order. Awarding an officer degree is possible no earlier than 5 years after being awarded a cavalry degree, and a commanding degree no earlier than 5 years after being awarded an officer degree. When awarding the highest degree of the Order of Merit, already marked by a lower degree, cannot be taken into account.

These restrictions may not be considered when awarding foreigners. Officers and commanders of the Legion of Honor and the National Order of Merit can be presented immediately to the same degree of the Order of Agricultural Merit.

Awarding is made 2 times a year - on January 1 and July 14 . Candidate lists are compiled in the prefectures at the place of residence of the candidates, after which they are submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and after discussion in the High Council of the Order are approved by the Minister.

The badge of the order is a six-pointed star, covered with white enamel . The star is superimposed on a wreath of wheat and corn ears . In the center of the star there is a medallion without enamel, surrounded by a rim covered in blue enamel. On the front side of the medallion there is an image of the head of Marianne , symbolizing France, and an inscription on the enameled rim: “RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE” (French Republic), supplemented by a half-crown from the bottom. On the back of the medallion there is an inscription in three lines: “MERITE / AGRICOLE / 1883” (Agricultural Merit, 1883).

Initially, the cavalier badge was hung from an oval wreath of fig and olive leaves, which was attached to the ribbon through a ring. But after the establishment of the officer’s degree, this wreath was “transferred” to a new degree. The commander’s badge is suspended from a similar wreath.

The size of the badge of cavaliers and officers (without a wreath-suspension) is 40 mm in diameter, commanders - 60 mm. In 1959-1999, the badges of cavaliers and officers had a size of 35 mm.

The badges of the cavaliers are silver, the officers are gilded, and the commanders are gold.

The ribbon of the order is green, 37 mm wide, with two vertical strips 6 mm wide at a distance of 1 mm from the edge. On the officer’s tape is attached a socket with a diameter of 30 mm from the same tape.

Until 1999, the color of the stripes was crimson ( amaranth color), in 1999 it was changed to red (decree No. 99-938 of November 4, 1999 ).

For everyday wear on civilian clothes, sockets from the ribbon of the order are provided, and for wearing on uniforms - order straps:

According to the Association of Order Members (AMOMA), over the entire existence of the order, awards have been awarded: 340,000 cavaliers, 60,000 officers, 4,800 commanders. Currently, there are about 23,500 cavaliers living, 5,000 officers and 600 order commanders ^[2] .

One of the first gentlemen of the order was Louis Pasteur . Some citizens of Russia were awarded the Order, among them:

• Dokuchaev, Vasily Vasilievich - Knight of the Order ^[3]
• Sergei Semenovich Sobyanin - officer of the order ^[4]
• Fisinin, Vladimir Ivanovich ^[5]
• Romanenko, Gennady Alekseevich

• Ministry of Agriculture of France: Order of Agricultural Merit (Fr.)
• Association des Membres du Mérite Agricole de l'Eure (AMOMA) (French)
• Ordre du Mérite Agricole: Les décorations Francaises. (fr.)

• French awards