INTERVIEW. François Bayrou takes sides against the French Biodiversity Office, “it’s a mistake” says its president, “angry”

“We have had enough”, Sylvie Gustave-dit-Duflo, president of the board of directors of the French Biodiversity Office (OFB), says she is “angry” at the attacks targeting the public establishment. In 2024, the organization’s headquarters in Brest had burned down; other centers have been degraded, covered with slurry. In recent months, agents have been singled out. She asks the government to “support” the OFB and its agents. Interview

In his general policy speech before the National Assembly on January 14, François Bayrou mentioned the “mistake” OFB agents during checks, being surprised that they were armed when they arrived on the farms. Laurent Wauquiez called for the abolition of the organization. Sylvie Gustave-dit-Duflo, said “Stop! “

“We have had enough of what has been happening for more than a year and a half against the OFB and the agents. When the OFB agents come into contact with farmers, it is to carry out missions control and ensure the quality of soil, air, water… And we know today that preserving the planet means preserving our health, our lifestyles And today. establishment and agents are taken to task because they carry out these missions” explains the president of the board of directors of the French Biodiversity Office.

The OFB has 3,000 agents, including 2,000 in the field. Among them, 1,700 environmental inspectors have administrative and judicial police powers, to enforce the rules regarding the use of pesticides, the uprooting of hedges or compliance with drought orders.

“Only 7.5% of annual controls carried out by the OFB relate to the agricultural world. The probability that an agricultural operation will be controlled by the 1,700 environmental inspectors is (once every) 120 years. When the Prime Minister takes the OFB directly to task without having taken the trouble to take an interest in our missions, in its issues, it is inconceivable, it is a mistake.(…)
Today I ask this government to support us, support us and recognize the missions we carry out.”.

Read: “We no longer want OFB on our farms”, why is the French Biodiversity Office in the sights of farmers?

“JI am a president who is very angry sincein 2023 our agents suffered the fire at the Brest headquarters; since 2024 and the agricultural crisis there have been more than 55 attacks on the establishment and its agents; We even had an agent whose life was put in danger because his car’s tires were unbolted.”

“And we have timid reactions from our ministries (supervisory, Agriculture and Environment). Where have we ever seen the police attacked in this way without the competent authorities coming to their defense?”

Read: “A farm will be inspected on average every 136 years”. The “environmental police”, the scapegoat for the agricultural crisis?

This week, an OFB trade unionist compared the demands of certain farmers to “dealers“asking”the police to no longer come to the cities.”

“I regret and condemn the recent statement by this union leader. No, farmers are not drug dealers, corrects Sylvie Gustave-dit-Duflo. But the isolated statement of a trade unionist should not call into question his colleagues either. We must seek ways of appeasement and non-instrumentalization. We have proposals on the table to advance control among farmers. And these proposals, in particular the body-worn camera, are work that must be discussed with our supervisory ministries.”

“Small phrases, tweets that are too quick, have consequences and contribute to the hysterization of the debate. I would like our two ministers to defend the establishment even more and meet our agents to get to know them better..”

The Prime Minister criticizes the controls “a weapon on the belt” on farms. The president of the OFB justifies: ” Whether a gendarme or a police officer is armed is integrated into the collective consciousness. But the environmental police are a young police force. “

“Our inspectors are authorized to carry weapons and when they carry out checks, they do so within the framework of missions: either an administrative procedure carried out by the prefect, or within the framework of a legal procedure carried out by the prosecutor “You never know who you’re dealing with when you’re on a control mission.”

“We have started working with our two supervisory ministries for discreet weapon carrying. However, we cannot disarm the environmental police. Every third Thursday in September, I bow before the stele of the agents who fell in the exercise of their duties.
The environmental police are once again 7.5% of agricultural controls. For everything else – poaching, fighting illegal animal trafficking – we are dealing with people who can be dangerous.”