If it represents 2% of farmers nationally, the ModefMovement for the defense of family farmers, is well established in certain departments of the south and southwest where it is close to the 10 % representativeness, even 30% in the Landes. And he enters the campaign with one objective: “change course”explains Didier Gadea, winegrower and president of Modef de l'Hérault, during a press conference held on December 3.
It is “about putting an end to this law of the market and to speculation”, he adds, highlighting the main demand of his union: “ remunerative floor prices fixed and guaranteed by the State “. The latter must impose a reference price taking into account the cost of production and the income of the farmerand which must serve as a basis for negotiations between the two parties.
Multiplier coefficients against speculation
However, these guaranteed prices must be, for Modef, associated with multiplying coefficients. The State sets a legal rate not to be exceeded between the purchase price from the supplier and the sale price. Thus, the increase in intermediary margins necessarily involves an increase in the supplier's purchase price. The mechanism also favors local purchases: with a multiplier coefficient, it is less interesting to go and buy a much cheaper tomato in Spain, since the margin will also be mathematically less important.
The mechanism should not only apply to food products, but also to energy prices, which are very subject to speculation, while energy is necessary at all stages of agricultural production, underlines Didier Gadéa.
Taking agriculture out of the WTO
On the hot topic of the agreement between the EU and the countries of MercosurModef's position is clear: we must remove agricultural raw materials from the WTO, and from the agreements because they seriously harm the farmers' incomerecalls Frédéric Mazer, co-president of Modef at national level. The latter does not believe for a second in the possibility of putting in place mirror clauses. The agreement with New Zealand was also signed without the introduction of these measures, and with, in its first article, “the objective of ensuring that in the sanitary and phytosanitary measures, the parties do not create no barrier to trade,” recalls Frédéric Mazer. “And we are told that with Mercosur, can we sign mirror clauses? It's rubbish », he gets annoyed.
Possible alliances with other unions?
Could Modef join forces with other unions to have more influence within the framework of elections to the Chambers of Agriculture ? For Didier Gadéa, this is “absolutely not on the agenda”, as long as the current proportional system is not modified. “Let's change the system, so that we have the number of elected officials that corresponds to the percentage we made, and then we will talk about alliances,” he adds.
In addition, Modef believes that it is the only union to defend this system of prices guaranteed by the State. The others, “they offer us the market, always the market, but the market does not work”, insists the winegrower who deplores that we see “always the same ones on TV: one who has the place, the other who wants it, whatever the fate of the peasants.
The union will in any case “not shout against pesticides or demand the shock of simplification: the first thing is incomewe want the peasants to earn their living with their work, and the rest will follow.” “You will still hear about Modef, we have not decided to keep quiet! », warns Frédéric Mazer.
