Members and supporters of the list of the Peasant Confederation competing in the elections of the Chamber of Agriculture met last Thursday, on the heights of the Desges valley, in the village of Madene, commune of Chazelles. Led by the head of the list, Marie-Lise Brice, they discovered the sheepfold of Guy Bremaud and Anna Ballais, both candidates. The first settled in 2018 on the mayor's former farm, after working for ten years in livestock farming as an employee. Breeder of rustic breeds, Basco-Béarnaise sheep and Rove goats, for their milk, he operates a used agricultural area of 30 ha. He milks it by hand and transforms all his production into cheese. Three years ago, Anna Ballais joined him as a collaborating partner. They are in the process of setting up a Gaec.
The place was not chosen by chance.
“This is typically the type of project that we defend. Someone who wants to set up in agriculture should not let go. »
The head of the list, based for 12 years in Saint-Jean-d'Aubrigoux, manages a cattle farm with processing. Established alone in a sole proprietorship, with the help of an employee, she has 11 cows. Aged 41, she has been active in the Peasant Confederation for 8 years. She worked there on questions of installation, land, hunting, etc.
In this setting, the candidates returned to the reasons for their involvement in these elections. Starting with the installation, in a department where “the average farm is 60 hectares. » And the head of the list continues: “Union-wise, there is work to be done with the communities to maintain activity. Our campaign is oriented towards installation and transmission at all levels. We must encourage installation whatever the structure, while guaranteeing income. Our territory lends itself to the installation of small farms. We want the leaders of these projects to be as well received by the Chamber as the big takeovers. This requires local measures. Reception is the job of the chambers of agriculture. There are still many small farms in our territory to take over and it is working. This helps to revitalize the area. »
The question of remuneration was raised. “We need truly remunerative prices. The revolt that is brewing in the agricultural world is the lack of income. » At the national level, the union is campaigning to “require at least prices covering production costs by prohibiting downstream surcharges (industrial and mass distribution)” and denounces Mercosur-type free trade agreements. “It’s unfair competition. By letting this happen, we are letting the peasant world die here and on the other side of the planet,” said one candidate. “The Peasant Confederation is linked to peasant movements around the world,” added a running mate.
Open the Chamber to the peasants
Another battleground: standards. “Currently, they are suitable for industrial sectors, not for small farm production. But we are not against all of them. We are in favor of social and environmental standards. These serve to preserve the commons,” noted a candidate.
More locally, Marie-Lise Brice continued: “We must open the Chamber more to farmers. Around three quarters of farmers in Haute-Loire do not benefit from its aid. They have no idea what's going on there, they don't have technical advice. For example, to receive support for an investment, you must reach a threshold of €10,000. A lot of things would be possible without this threshold… We should always be able to call the Chamber of Agriculture. Today, an association like Haute-Loire Biologique offers things more suited to the needs of farmers. »
A subject to which she also added that of social protection. “There is a lot of anger, rightly so, on this point. There is a glaring lack of social protection; a farmer cannot afford to be sick… and for social support, there are things that the Chamber can do in connection with the MSA. »
Pierre Hébrard
Calendar. Elections to the Chamber of Agriculture take place until January 31 at midnight. Voting takes place by mail or by computer. The counting and announcement of the results must take place Thursday February 6.
Related News :