The Catholic Agricultural Jeunesse then Christian Agricultural Jeunesse (JAC) was a French movement of Catholic Action which was created in November 1929 by young people and priests, in particular the Abbé Jacques Ferté and Robert Garnier.

From 1929 the day before the Second world war

The JAC was founded on the initiative of the ACJF, in particular constant by the Catholic Union of Agricultural France (founded in 1917). The purpose of the founders of the JAC were of évangéliser the campaigns and to improve the living conditions of the young peasants. Indeed at that time, even if one is into full Industrial revolution and that the campaigns benefit from it partially, the agricultural work as well as the living conditions in the rural world remain very hard. The tools of these militants are then Agricultural training by correspondence and the ACJF (Catholic Association of French Youth), existing since 1886.

Lastly, it should be noted that like much of associations of Catholic youth (like the Scout S), the JAC was not mixed at that time. This is why the JACF (1933), founded little time after, continued a similar action near the young girls.

After the Second world war

Sensitive to priority of time which is to nourish the country (which still undergoes the Rationnement), the JAC is mobilized for the increase in the French agricultural production. It setting then on the novel methods of production (the Mechanization, the Manure and other progress).

The JAC also makes it possible the Agriculteur S to organize the profession and this by the organizations of management, Coopérative S, Mutuelle S and agricultural trade unions… the young peasants take great responsabilities then and in 1960 crushing it majority of the French agricultural persons in charge and the rural elected S is resulting from the JAC/F.

The year 1960 and end of the JAC

In 1960, the Agriculteur S are numerically minority because of evolution of the socioprofessional categories. New problems are with the day order: overproduction, massive rural migration, turning into a desert, growth of the interest granted to the profit… The JAC must reorganize: in 1965, the JAC is melted in MRJC (rural movement of Christian youth) is born.

See too

• MRJC

• Young Farmers
• FNSEA

External bonds

• Site of the MRJC
• Site of the Nord/Pas-de-Calais Area MRJC