French government honors USP professor with the Order of Agricultural Merit – Jornal da USP

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Professor Thais Vieira, director of USP’s “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture (Esalq), was appointed a Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit by the French government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Agrifood and Food Sovereignty. The honor is France’s highest national distinction in the field of agriculture.

The appointment is included in a decree signed by France’s Minister of Agriculture, Agrifood and Food Sovereignty, Annie Genevard, on January 31, 2026. The document lists professionals from academic, scientific, political, and business circles, with Thais Vieira being the only Latin American representative among those honored.

Created on July 7, 1883, by Minister Jules Méline, the Ministerial Order of Agricultural Merit recognizes services rendered to the development of agriculture. Linked to the French Ministry of Agriculture, Agrifood and Food Sovereignty, the distinction is awarded following an assessment of the opinions issued by the Council of the Order of Agricultural Merit.

The decoration has three grades of recognition: Knight, Officer, and Commander. To be admitted to the Order, the honoree must demonstrate at least ten years of effective service related to agriculture, whether in agricultural, agrifood, gastronomic, forestry, or scientific activities, or in public positions connected with the promotion of the agricultural sector.

The director of Esalq emphasized that, although the distinction is awarded to one individual, it represents a career built with the contribution of several institutions. “I would like to thank USP and Esalq, the institution I have the honor of directing; Unicamp, where I completed my doctoral degree; Embrapa, where I began my career as a researcher; the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and Capes, which supported decisive stages of my education and the internationalization of Brazilian research; and the French institutions that, over the years, have built with us a partnership based on trust, scientific excellence, and a shared commitment to agriculture, food, the environment, and society.”

Thais Vieira also expressed special thanks to Philippe Mauguin, president of the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE). “It is an honor to receive this decoration from your hands. I see in this gesture not only recognition of an individual career, but also a demonstration of the trust built between our countries. I accept this medal with the awareness that it represents an institutional relationship that began long before any of us and that will continue to be strengthened by future generations. It is this continuity that allows Esalq to celebrate its 125th anniversary while keeping alive its capacity to innovate and that makes cooperation between Brazil and France an increasingly relevant partnership in building solutions to the challenges of our time”, she concluded.

Written by Caio Albuquerque, of the Esalq Communication’s Division

English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco