In an interview with AFP, the political leader, also vice-president of the Guadeloupe Region, asks the government to “support” the OFB and its agents.
François Bayrou evoking the “fault” of OFB agents, Laurent Wauquiez calling for its removal… How do you react to the debates of recent days?
We have had enough of what has been happening for more than a year and a half against the OFB and the agents.
When OFB agents come into contact with farmers, it is to carry out control missions and ensure the quality of soil, air, water… And we know well today that preserving the planet it’s about preserving our health, our lifestyles. And today the establishment and the agents are taken to task because they carry out these missions.
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.
What do you feel?
I am a president who is very angry since in 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?
Small sentences, tweets that are too fast, have consequences and contribute to the hysterization of the debate
A trade unionist compared the demands of certain farmers to “dealers” asking “the police to no longer come to the cities”. Do you understand the emotion that these comments may have caused?
I regret and condemn the recent statement by this union official. No, farmers are not drug dealers.
But the isolated statement of a trade unionist should not call into question his colleagues, 1,700 other environmental inspectors and 3,000 colleagues for the entire OFB.
-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 pedestrian camera, are work that must be discussed with our supervisory ministries.
Small sentences, 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.
A trade unionist compared the demands of certain farmers to “dealers” asking “the police to no longer come to the cities”. Do you understand the emotion that these comments may have caused?
I regret and condemn the recent statement by this union official. No, farmers are not drug dealers.
But the isolated statement of a trade unionist should not call into question his colleagues, 1,700 other environmental inspectors and 3,000 colleagues for the entire OFB.
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 pedestrian camera, are work that must be discussed with our supervisory ministries.
Small sentences, 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 criticized “a gun in his belt” controls on farms. Is there another way to do it?
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 are dealing with when you are 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 agents who fell in the line of duty.
