Dupont de Nemours et le Comité d’administration de l’agriculture (1785- 1787) / Dupont de Nemours and the Committee for the administration of agriculture (1785-1787)

Abstract

The Agriculture Administration Committee was born in response to a natural calamity: the drought of the spring 1785. On the initiative of Gravier de Vergennes, a committee originally formed of Tillet, Lavoisier, Dupont, D’Arcet and Poissonnier had been created to select palliative measures to be implemented by the services of Calonne, Controller General of Finance for the King Louis XVI. However, its proposals soon exceeded the initial objective, highlighting the obstacles to the progress of agriculture, vital for the nation's economy. Dupont has emerged as one of the most active members of this committee. A final report, given in 1787, described the foundation of the reforms that the French Revolution will implement.