Nationally, organic is still struggling. Its agricultural areas have decreased as has its consumption. But in Puy-de-Dôme, it manages to maintain itself even if the road is still long for it to definitively become part of the habits and to maintain itself in the face of conventional agriculture.
Thierry is a breeder of organic suckler cows in Sauxillanges in Puy-de-Dôme. His son would like to get into dairy cows but a question arises, which agriculture to choose between organic and conventional. The financial report is not the same, especially concerning the animal’s diet. “We will have to be independent from the milkmaid because she eats more than a breastfeeder so we have to think about whether it will work or not”he explains. “It’s especially in relation to the price and what we will have left at the end of the month.”.
If the choice is conventional, they will have to reconvert their land because of the products used. “It will make a little more non-organic. We will go until 2026 but in my opinion in 2027 we will no longer be organic. Everything will go conventional, we won’t be able to do both, it would be too easy, there would be no more control”confides Marie-Claire Champeix. “There is little economic interest in being organic and that forces us to pay more than 800 euros for the control so we will gain at least on that”.
Nationally, in 2023, 54,000 hectares cultivated in organic farming were lost in one year. But the Puy-de-Dôme department seems to be doing well. “The figures are very telling. In 2016, we had 300 farms converted to organic, today, we have 670 so it’s a nice progression, it’s around 8% of the area of the department”rejoices Sabine Tholoniat, responsible for organic at the Chamber of Agriculture. “Contrary to what the organic agency announces on the national territory, we in Puy de Dôme are strong in this stabilization”.
In French food, the share of organic increased from 6.4% in 2022 to 5.6% in 2024. There is a slight increase in direct sales but it decreases in supermarkets due to the lack of products and especially from competition from other labels such as “High environmental value”.
“The State and the FNSEA have created a label called HVE which has undermined organic farming because there are people who have turned away to go towards products with fewer certifications, less good qualities. Organic is the only label that certifies that we do not use pesticides, no chemical fertilizers and that has positive impacts on biodiversity., says Nathanael Jacquart, President of the Federation of Organic Farmers in Puy-de-Dôme. Organic farming has limited state support despite financial aid. However, it is essential in the face of climate change and limits the impacts on water and soil.
