"Paysanne-Herboriste.”
Since 2023 in France, my profession finally has an official name and recognition. The title “Paysan-Herboriste” is recognized by the state and registered in the National Directory of Professional Certifications. This gives a clear professional framework covering cultivation, harvesting, processing, and regulation of Aromatic, Medicinal, and Perfume Plants (PPAM). The first official recognition for herbalists since the herbalist diploma was removed in 1941 and the profession lost its formal status.
The role includes:
-Harvesting, cultivation, and processing of food, aromatic, and medicinal plants (herbal teas, syrups, food supplements, essential oils, hydrosols, cosmetics…).
-Short-circuit marketing of farm-made products and providing information on plant-based products, following regulations (especially nutritional and health claims).
In Sweden, herbalism has always belonged to folk tradition. Herbalists were never officially certified, and their practice lived outside formal regulation. Growing, transforming and selling herbal products is still legal as long as we respect the regulations for food business and health claims legislation.
The main limitation of the no state-recognition is not legality, but visibility and structure. There is no official teaching pathway or public communication that this profession exists or that one can become a medicinal plant grower. There is also no shared professional framework to support best practices and legal compliance. This matters deeply in a field connected to health, where mastering regulations is essential to avoid misinformation, protect people, and work responsibly within the law.
As a pioneer medicinal plant growing in Sweden, I believe that there are opportunities for the profession to take root here, just as it has in France.
For those curious, about the descripion of the official "Paysan-Herboriste" certification in France, more information can be found to the following link (in French) https://www.francecompetences.fr/recherche/rncp/37980/
I find this description essential, as it captures exactly what my work encompasses, and place the foundations of the profession.
I have translated it below in English:
Grower-herbalist or medicinal plant grower profession includes the following activities:
-The harvesting of wild aromatic or medicinal plants. The farmer-herbalist works with living things, in interaction with the environment, respecting the resource and striving for plant quality. They harvest wild plants according to organic farming standards and/or specific specifications, with the aim of later processing them, favoring local harvesting. They identify the plants, determine which parts to harvest, and adapt their harvesting techniques consciously, according to professional ethics and in compliance with regulations. They take care of the harvested plants or plant parts until they are processed.
-The cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants. Rooted in their land, its flora, and local traditions, the farmer-herbalist cultivates aromatic and medicinal plants according to the principles of organic farming and/or specific specifications. He oversees crop preparation, monitoring, and maintenance until harvest, respecting the soil, the plant, and the individual. He cultivates a human-scale farm, prioritizing manual practices and drawing upon and updating traditional knowledge. He cultivates plants according to the professional ethics of the farmer-herbalist and in compliance with current regulations.
-Processing aromatic and medicinal plants. The farmer-herbalist promotes his products through short supply chains via a diverse range of processed foods, cosmetics, and dietary supplements. He masters the manufacturing processes according to organic farming standards and/or specific specifications. He is familiar with the relevant regulations. He carries out his processing independently and with high quality, adhering to the professional ethics of the farmer-herbalist. These processing methods are a direct extension of agricultural activity (cultivation and harvesting) and contribute to the financial stability of the business.
-The marketing of aromatic and medicinal plants through short supply chains. The farmer-herbalist markets their plants and plant-based products through a variety of short supply chains (direct sales to consumers or with a maximum of one intermediary). Therefore, they develop a marketing strategy tailored to their local area. They respond to consumers' demand for quality products and information on the properties and proper use of plants and plant-based products, and they transmit traditional and modern knowledge while respecting current regulations and the professional ethics of the farmer-herbalist.
-The design and management of their farmer-herbalist business. The farmer-herbalist develops a professional project that reflects their values, taking into account their aspirations, skills, and the human, natural, and economic environment in which they operate. They monitor their business financially to generate an income that meets their needs and aspirations, while respecting consumers and the resource. He manages the administrative aspects of his business in accordance with current regulations. While he primarily works alone, the farmer-herbalist regularly collaborates with employees and hosts interns on his farm. He then leads his team and handles HR matters. The farmer-herbalist designs and manages his business within a clearly defined ethical and professional framework.
Demonstrated Skills:
-Choosing harvesting sites in an informed and collaborative manner, based on careful observation of the sites and plants present, to ensure harvesting that respects the resource and complies with regulations.
-Harvesting at the optimal time using specific indicators (phenological stages, weather conditions, site observation, etc.) to obtain the best quality of the desired plant or plant part.
-Organizing the harvest, from the farm to the site and back, taking into account the time, materials, and tools required at each stage to preserve the quality of the desired plants or plant parts.
-Accurately identifying plants intended for harvesting to guarantee botanical authenticity, quality, and traceability of the plants and/or products made from them intended for sale.
-Implementing harvesting activities that respect the resource and the harvesting site, in line with agroecological practices for the preservation and protection of biodiversity and resources. plants and their environments, in consultation with other stakeholders in the field
-Process harvested plants optimally until their return to the farm, using appropriate tools and methods and ensuring traceability of actions taken to preserve plant quality and consumer safety
-Prepare the planting of chosen crops according to the biotope, respecting the soil and the plant, taking into account professional ethics and the well-being of the farmer-herbalist, and equipping oneself with tools to ensure crop monitoring
-Manage crops in a way that respects the local ecosystem by choosing practical and technical approaches that are well-considered and adapted to the land, the plants, and the farmer-herbalist
-Optimize the harvest to guarantee optimal quality of the organoleptic properties of the plants or plant parts chosen according to their intended use, prioritizing ergonomic techniques
-Plan for the following growing season based on an assessment and forecast, by carrying out the necessary off-season activities and taking into account the necessary crop rotation and cover cropping
-Manage a plant or plant part drying workshop independently and effectively, in compliance with regulations and aiming for annual stock replenishment to ensure the proper preservation of the plants' organoleptic qualities and properties
-Manage a plant or plant part distillation workshop safely and effectively, adhering to processes and regulations within an eco-responsible and sustainable framework
-Manage a food or cosmetic processing workshop for plants or plant parts safely and effectively, adhering to processes and regulations within an eco-responsible and sustainable framework
-Manage all processing activities from an organizational, administrative, and regulatory perspective, with respect for the ecosystem
-Develop and implement a marketing strategy tailored to the products and needs, in accordance with ethical principles and respectful of the local human and economic environment
-Communicate effectively in line with the marketing strategy, in compliance with regulations (particularly EC regulations) (n°1924/2006) by choosing customized support materials and tools
-Promote your plants or products made with aromatic and medicinal plants by selling through short supply chains and providing information on the properties and proper use of the plants, in compliance with regulations to guarantee consumer safety
-Share popular, traditional, and current knowledge and skills related to the knowledge and use of medicinal plants during interactions with the public, helping everyone access and reclaim this cultural heritage, in compliance with regulations
-Manage and record receipts, maintain accounting records to ensure proper accounting management, and file mandatory declarations
-Position yourself, design, and build your business plan as a farmer-herbalist within a defined natural, economic, and human environment, taking into account your aspirations, needs, and resources
-Manage your farmer-herbalist business from a human, economic, financial, commercial, administrative, fiscal, and social perspective by equipping yourself with appropriate tools to its activity and meeting external requirements
-To operate within an ethical and professional framework for the practice of one's profession as a farmer-herbalist, referring to the meaning given to one's activities and the guidelines provided by relevant professional organizations
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