L'agriculture devant l'urbanisation : les exploitations de grande culture expropriées par l'emprise de l'aéroport Paris-Nord

This article focuses on the reactions of farmers subjected to expropriation measures, specifically those for new airport Paris-Nord, in terms of agricultural investments. A discussion of changes in agricultural structure in the region from 1945 to the airport development serves to put the changes since 1965 into perspective. Two types of problems are then discussed : those requiring solution through cooperation within the farming community, and those which concern decisions appropriate to the individual farmer. From questionnaire data, a factor analysis is made of the individual decisions together with certain variables considered important in those decisions. Three factors are retained : one relates the number of potential heirs and the anticipation of future losses of land positively to intensification and the acquisition of other farms ; another relates acquisition of other farms to loss of land to the airport, while the other factor links the presence of non-agricultural interests to a lack of reinvestment in agriculture. In conclusion, these farmers have fared very well, in large part due to their healthy financial situation ; indeed, the net result of the airport development has often led to an increase in their economic power, with the total amount of land under their control increasing as a result of their activities in purchasing farms elsewhere.