France’s deficit in protein‑rich products dates back nearly 50 years. Many protein plans aimed at boosting the supply of legumes have succeeded one another without managingto solve the issue. Does it mean that French agriculture is economically tied to grain production using imports of synthetic fertilisers and to off‑farm livestock production using soya imports? The novelty of our quantitative analysis is to take into account the role of French consumers’ potential demand for products that are free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Our prospective simulations show that, while this demand is a far more powerful driver for reducing imports of GMO soya cake than traditional subsidies for legumes, it is unlikely to lead to a significant improvement in protein self‑sufficiency, as net imports of other protein‑rich products are increasing. In contrast, substantial progress could be made by improving the productivity of forage land.