Tuesday, December 10, 2024, the general assembly of the National Federation of Agricultural Farmers' Unions of Indre-et-Loire (FNSEA 37) took place. After a morning focused on the statutory report of the local branch, the afternoon offered a time for discussion with around fifty members who came to the Chamber of Agriculture.
A time of discussion which began with an introductory speech from Hervé Lapie, secretary general of the FNSEA at the national level: “We are in a complicated period. It's difficult to work when you don't have a reference. »
He also returned to the news that the agricultural world has been going through over the past year, between the “On marche sur le tête” movement, the dissolution and then censorship of the Barnier government.
“Against Mercosur, not against trade”
Faced with him, the farmers ask technical questions about the substance of the problems they are facing. Others opt for direct and unfiltered questions, notably when a member of the assembly questions Hervé Lapie on the figure of Arnaud Rousseau.
“The trial against him concerns his links with the Avril group (1). At the FNSEA, we are against Mercosur, but not against trade. It is not Arnaud Rousseau who decides on our demands, it is the board of directors of the FNSEA”defends Hervé Lapie.
Tricky operating controls
Several questions raised by the assembly concern the latest action launched by the FNSEA: the refusal of administrative controls on their farms. “In implementation, it’s complicated”shares Cédric Raguin, secretary general of FNSEA 37, recounting the case of a member who underwent an inspection.
Hervé Lapie, who is also national administrator at the French Biodiversity Office (OFB), an organization which carries out controls on farms, recommends discussing with the prefect. “Control is not only repressive, it is also educational”replies Stéphane Loyau, head of the Indre-et-Loire OFB. “I attach importance to human contact. We have regular exchanges with farmers, probably not enough”he admits.
He also invites us to turn to the deputies, like Daniel Labaronne (Renaissance), present in the hemicycle. The general assembly continued with the official launch of the campaign for the elections to the Chamber of Agriculture, with the presentation of the members of the Young Farmers – FNSEA list.
(1) Arnaud Rousseau is also president of the Avril group, a powerful French agri-food firm in the oilseed and protein sector (soybeans, rapeseed, peanuts, sunflowers, etc.) which has expanded its activity in South America, particularly in Mercosur countries.
