PARIS — France’s highest court on Thursday blocked a key part of a contentious farming law that would have brought back a banned pesticide.

The court said that the measure failed to protect the environment and future generations. The rest of the law — known as the “Duplomb law,” after the senator who proposed it — was allowed to stand.

The bill, passed in early July, aimed to loosen rules for farmers and fast-track projects like water storage. It was backed by the government and major farming unions, but met fierce opposition from scientists, health experts and green groups.

At the heart of the outrage was acetamiprid, a pesticide banned in France since 2018 for its role in harming bees and other pollinators. Farmers, especially sugar beet growers, had pushed for its return.

But the co

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