General case

You are going to set up on a farm.
 
To be affiliated to the MSA you must be a non-salaried farmer working a surface area at least equal to half the SMI (minimum installation surface area) defined for the county or natural region where the farm is located. 
 
If the farm meets this condition, you will be subject to the agricultural social protection regime.

Co-farming or company

If you set up within the context of a joint farm or in a farm company, the size of your farm must be at least equal to as many times half the SMI as the joint farm or company contains joint farmers or partners involved in the work.

However, if you set up a joint farm or farm company with your spouse, alone or with others, this threshold is reduced, for your couple, by 20%.

By definition, a structure on which a candidate plans to set up must enable him to develop farming activities.
 
Any individual or corporate entity who carries out activities defined as being agricultural and who is affiliated to the Mutualité Sociale Agricole is a farmer.

The main farmer must:
 
<< Devote over 50% of his working timeto his agricultural activity

<< Draw at least 50% of his overall incomefrom agricultural and forestry production activities and from tourist or other activitiesthat are an extension of the farming or forestry production action, and which are based on the farm.

<< Be affiliated to the Farmers Health Insurance scheme (Assurance Maladie des Exploitants Agricoles - A.M.E.X.A.) at the M.S.A.
The share of income obtained directly from production activities may not be less than 25% of the farm’s overall income.
(Decree n°96.462, 29/05/1996 – Official Journal dated 30/05/1996).

To have the status of farmer

To benefit from social cover for farmers:

- sickness and accidents insurance (obligatory)

- supplementary health and accidents insurance (optional)

- family allowances, pension, health and social action

From one month before and at the latest one month after your installation.