The boss of the FNSEA denounces “the lamentable methods” of Rural Coordination

Aranud Rousseau raises his voice. The president of the FNSEA denounced Friday the “lamentable methods” and the “threats not acceptable” representatives of the agricultural union competing with Rural Coordination, who disrupted his trip to Agen (Lot-et-Garonne), in a statement to AFP. “I remind you that the FNSEA and the Young Farmers are in the majority in 95% of the chambers (of agriculture) and that for my part, I will never accept that the president of Rural Coordination cannot go to a department, that she is physically threatened”declared Arnaud Rousseau. He had to be escorted by police to leave the national congress of vegetable producers, organized by a specialized association of the FNSEA and where he had just spoken.

After his speech, around fifty activists from the Rural Coordination of Lot-et-Garonne, historic stronghold of the CR, massed in front of the gates of the Agen exhibition center, protected by around thirty helmeted CRS. The president of the local chamber of agriculture and figure of the CR, Serge Bousquet-Cassagne, said he wanted “prevent from leaving” the boss of the FNSEA. “These are just methods that I find absolutely lamentable. I reserve the right to file a complaint, but at this stage I have not done so”declared Arnaud Rousseau, specifying that he had left “at the request of the prefect”escorted by “two police officers up to a car which was parked in front”. “That the FNSEA is targeted is not the first time, but here, whether it is by farmers, that questions me because it does not advance the agricultural project”he estimated.

“The Rural Coordination, as part of its congress (held Tuesday and Wednesday) had only one objective, which was to target the FNSEA. It doesn't bother me in the context of the chamber elections (in January), but it's not a project for agriculture, and neither is chaos.he insisted. “It’s looking for escalation, buzz. These people are not working to find solutions”he said. The situation is becoming tense on the ground as the professional agricultural elections approach. The Rural Coordination, whose yellow caps have gained visibility since last winter by multiplying punchy actions, hopes to steal between 15 and 20 rooms from the majority FNSEA-JA alliance.