This Thursday, January 2, 2025, Annie Genevard visited a dairy farm in Doubs. A visit during which she spoke off camera with the three main agricultural unions.
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No time wasted after the Yule log and the New Year's Eve feast, the Minister of Agriculture spent the morning on a farm in her department. No thunderous announcements. The minister wanted to be “on the ground from January 2. Do not wait for the year to begin to come into contact with farmers”.
For almost an hour, she listened to agricultural organizations, FDSEA-JA, Rural Coordination, Peasant Confederation. At the exit, a message delivered to farmers: “The agricultural budget which has been censored will not experience any interruption in its application. All aid, support, tax relief, social assistance and emergency assistance will be delivered on time and will be retroactive. said Annie Genevard.
One year after the agricultural crisis of winter 2024, the unions are entering the campaign from January 7 for the elections to the chambers of agriculture. The vote, which will take place online or by mail from January 15 to 31, will determine the new balance of power between agricultural unions.
The unions have of course expressed their priority for French farmers: an agricultural income that allows them to live.
Symbolically, Nicolas Girard, the 34-year-old dairy producer who received the minister on his farm this Thursday, offered her a bottle of milk which symbolizes his problem: 40% of the liter is paid to him (1.6 minimum wage), 30% is not, the other 30% is financed by family caregivers who help out on the farm without being paid for the fruit of their work.
Nicolas Girard, dairy farmer in Doubs.
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© Fabienne Le Moing – France Télévisions
“The question of agricultural income is at the heart of the crisis we are experiencing and if strong and lasting measures are not taken, there will be no lasting solution” reaffirmed Laurence Lyonnais, from the Doubs peasant confederation at the microphone of our journalist Stéphanie Bourgeot. She took the example of the AOP Comté sector which allows breeders to live with a decent milk price.
Faced with the threat of Mercosur, French farmers are worried about unfair competition on prices. Nicolas Bongay from the Rural Coordination of Doubs – Territoire de Belfort believes that there should be a social VAT, to have equity between imported products and products grown in France.
During her visit, the Minister of Agriculture also specified that François Bayrou should, according to her, receive agricultural organizations very soon. The rural coordination which is requesting a meeting has planned to demonstrate this Sunday, January 5 in Paris.
