A delegation, made up of representatives of the two agricultural unions, forwarded its various demands to Philippe Castanet, this Monday, November 18, 2024, in the middle of Act II of the agricultural crisis.
If not the final meeting, it was one of the last meetings between the prefect of Lozère Philippe Castanet, the Young Farmers (JA 48) and the Departmental Federation of Farmers' Unions (FDSEA) . This Monday, November 18, in the middle of Act II of the agricultural crisis that began last January, the State representative, who will leave Lozère on Sunday, received a delegation made up of representatives of the two unions. This brought up her various demands.
“Fire in the countryside”
For both unions, “France must have a strong voice” against the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur. “Mercosur is a declaration of war, says Hervé Boudon, president of JA 48. If it is signed, it will set the campaigns on fire. This agreement will cause the entry into France of 90,000 tonnes of Argentinian and Brazilian meat treated with hormones, as well as tens of thousands of tonnes of poultry. It’s something we don’t produce, we don’t want to produce, and we don’t even want to eat.”
“Our sectors in danger”
For the two union organizations, the survival of French agriculture is at stake. “If the agreement is signed, it will endanger our sectors, starting with breeding, continues the one who is established in beef cattle in Bessons. And in Lozère, this also means endangering slaughterhouses, jobs and the entire economy of the department.”
“Apply mirror clauses”
Jean-François Maurin, president of the FDSEA, agrees: “Meat with hormones has been banned in Europe for decades. This is a total misunderstanding. The agreement with Mercosur will bring in meat that does not cost much to produce, since it does not meet our standards. is unfair competition. We must apply mirror clauses, that is to say, we only bring products into Europe that respect ours. There will be no problems.
All unions unanimous
The other unions, Peasant Confederation and Rural Coordination (CR), are also mobilized against the agreement with Mercosur. Hervé Boudon welcomes this unanimity: “We must be delighted that the fight against the Mercosur agreement has reached consensus among all agricultural unions. The war between organizations does not interest me at all. I am delighted that the CR has joined us.”
Simplification, predation…
The JA 48 and the FDSEA also discussed lupine predation with the prefect “extremely strong” in Lozère with recently “a dozen attacks in a week”. The simplification of standards and constraints was also discussed. “In our farmyards, we have not seen this simplification coming, regrets the president of JA 48. It's not enough. It's not clear enough.”
Punch action from Rural Coordination
Midi Libre – M. P.
This Sunday, November 17, 2024, the Lozère Rural Coordination entered into the protest against the exchange agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. During the night, shortly before 11 p.m., several of its activists with the famous yellow CR logo covered the 4-meter high turret radar, located on the RN 88, near the commune of Cultures. To do this, the farmers used agricultural handling equipment.
