“Gers is third on foie gras and second on duck breast”: players in the Gers poultry sector confident despite a succession that remains to be ensured

The generations of the Trente Glorieuses are arriving at retirement. In the department, 4 out of 10 farm managers are over 55 years old. The challenge for the coming years therefore consists of making young people want to settle down and take over the farms of previous generations.

Unfortunately, the various epidemics do not work in favor of the poultry sectors, even within family farms: “The children, seeing the health and administrative constraints and the time spent, have not taken over the farms”, indicates Pierre Pérès (Saint -Michel), from the Producers Group at the foie gras farm.

Expensive buildings and lack of training?

But during the testimonies, other problems were highlighted: “Ten years ago, a breeder could build two “label” production buildings with €140,000. Today, with the same sum, we cannot in fact only one”, explains Hervé Hedan, of the Euralis cooperative, about the soaring cost of production tools.

The initial training in these sectors can also be improved according to Eric Gaillochon: “When I arrived, I was quite surprised that a Gers agricultural high school did not offer much in direct connection with this important production sector”, raises the new director of the Mirande agricultural vocational high school regarding training around processing and foie gras.

Glimmers of hope for a virtuous sector

Will the poultry sectors die out as people retire? Pessimism was limited in the ranks of the Mirandais amphitheater, for several reasons. First of all, the lights are turning green again thanks to the resumption of activities: “There is work, the sales are there, the short circuit is going well. There is a future for these young people who want to do this profession,” assures Pierre Pérès.

Gers production still enjoys a national reputation which allows them to obtain good results: “The Gers is third in foie gras and second in duck breast”, underlines Benjamin Constant, the president of the Association for the Promotion of foie gras and poultry farming.

To try to attract new profiles, certain production sites are adapting and improving their working conditions: “We have set up diagnostics to detect energy losses, we have redone the roofs on slippery buildings, we has brought back automation with connected smartphones… Everything that young people are looking for to have modernization on the sites”, welcomes Olivier Fourcade of Vivadour.

Support will also be fundamental whether in internal training, illustrated by the “sponsorship” system between producers set up by the Canard d’Auzan, or in installation aid with the various tools made available by the Chamber of Agriculture in order to facilitate the much-hoped-for takeover of farms.