Mérite agricole

The Ordre National du Mérite Agricole (National Order of Agricultural Merit) is an order of merit established in France on 7 July 1883 by Minister of Agriculture Jules Méline to reward services to agriculture. Its ribbon is Moiré pattern green (holders are said to "avoir le poireau", or "have a leek", in reference to its colour) with a red-orange stripe down each side - the stripes symbolise the prestigious institution of the ordre national de la Légion d’honneur. The Order has the ranks of knight (around 23,000 at present, including all living former ministers of agriculture), officer (5,000) and commander (400).

Canada has an equivalent order, whose recipients include Onésiphore Ernest Talbot.

Members

Chevalier

▪            Jacques Chirac

▪            Elizabeth David

▪            Patricia Gallagher

▪            Michel Guérard

▪            Richard Juhlin

▪            Patrick Levaye

▪            Bernard Loiseau

▪            Kermit Lynch

▪            Brian Morrissey

▪            Roland Passot

▪            Jacques Pépin