In Castelnaudary, the Minister of Agriculture begins a trip to Aude under high tension

It was around thirty minutes late that the Barnier government's Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, arrived in Aude. A first trip to the department, two weeks after going to the Pyrénées-Orientales to meet farmers tormented by drought. The former Doubs MP was received this Monday, November 4, in the evening, at the Arterris agricultural cooperative in Lauragais, in Castelnaudary. It is here that she began her Aude journey before meeting the winegrowers this Tuesday in Fabrezan and announcing the winners of the hydraulic fund.

But before arriving in Aude, the minister was traveling in Tarn where the latter confirmed the purchase of 2 million additional vaccines, in the face of the bluetongue epidemic of which the Aude territory was also the victim as other departments in the Occitanie region.

You need water, that’s obvious.

As she prepared to visit part of the cooperative, Annie Genevard gave a speech to elected officials and farmers. “Two weeks ago, I was in the Pyrénées-Orientales, it's crying to see the orchards crying with thirst. We need water here, that's obvious. But when ideology gets tangled This is not good. We must leave it aside either we still want agriculture in our rural territories and we need water but also the means to bring it, or we no longer have life. . I am resolutely in favor of projects to bring water. We must support our farmers.she explains.

The concerns of agricultural unions

For their part, representatives of agricultural unions expressed to the minister their concerns about the growing difficulties on farms. In the field crops sector, cash flow problems have been accumulating for several years due to climatic hazards, putting many farms in a precarious situation. To boost the cash flow of farmers, and in particular those particularly affected by poor harvests, the unions are calling for the establishment of short-term credit. This funding would make it possible to purchase the seeds needed for the coming year. They also ask for a long-term loan over seven years “with a two-year deferral, to be able to restructure the farms”explains Jérôme Barthès, vice-president of the FDSEA 11.

Another subject of major concern: the distortion of competition caused by differences in regulation on the use of phytosanitary products in Europe. French farmers, subject to stricter restrictions than their European neighbors, feel disadvantaged. “In Spain, active ingredients banned in France remain authorized. This inequality harms production”underlines Jérôme Barthès before adding: “Especially since certain farms have been severely affected by invasions of leafhoppers and aphids, which carry viruses”. Agricultural unions are therefore calling for a return to the means of production in the Aude region to strengthen their autonomy and competitiveness, while non-production crops (fallow, organic alfalfa, etc.) are increasing. The question of water resources is also a major issue. “There is a water storage problem”argues the FDSEA 11, which calls for the creation of multifunctional water reserves.

This Tuesday, November 5, farmers could have the first elements of response with possible announcements: cash flow support and reduction of MSA charges? Will this be enough to reduce agricultural anger? Nothing is less certain.