Agnès Pannier-Runacher at the Midi Libre conference: “we need to give meaning back to food”

Around the Minister for Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Jérôme Despey, Jérôme Boisson and Pierre Soujol. Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

As part of the Assises de la proximity organized by Midi Libre, this Friday April 25 in Lunel, a round table on the theme "How to help local production ?" welcomed around Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the mayor of Lunel Pierre Soujol, the first vice-president of the Agglomeration of Lunel Jérôme Boisson, the president of the Chamber of Agriculture Jérôme&nbsp ;Despey and Rémy Dumas, national vice-president of the JA.

How to promote local production ? The round table between local actors and the Minister for Agriculture and Food Sovereignty made it possible to highlight three essential areas&nbsp ;: the need to decomplexify administrative procedures, educate from an early age and work for the long term.

Pierre Soujol, mayor of Lunel, reminded us that two thirds of the territory of the Agglo de Lunel is devoted to agriculture. And despite the community's desire to support the sector, difficulties arise, particularly due to the drop in the number of operators. "We help them locally by promoting short circuits in canteens and homes in particular, but also by fighting against waste ", details the chosen one.

A process initiated within the framework of the Egalim law which the minister vigorously defends. "We are still far from being at the end, today the canteens are 13  organic and 30  sustainable products while the objectives are 20 and 50 %." An observation which would be due in particular to administrative difficulties.

7 500 trained chefs

The minister wanted to be reassuring. "Lhe law now gives more levers to organize local public markets, a guide helps communities to source locally to achieve the objectives of E< em>galim and in compliance with the public procurement code."

While canteens represent four billion meals per year, Agnès Pannier-Runacher insists on the potential for outlets for local production. "The communities that ;rsquo;engage and who work on the merits achieve it. I would like to cite the example of Mouans-Sartoux. For 25 years, they have taken the bull by the horns. They went looking for agricultural land, they built a vegetable market, a central kitchen and today they are 100% organic in the canteens." To further encourage local production in canteens, the State is preparing to train some 7 500 chefs so that they can improve their practices.

And it’s not just in the canteen that education takes place. The minister pleads for education in the agricultural world from primary school. "Bmany children are not aware of this quality production, we must repeat the things in hand and show this passion, give meaning to food.

"Our country must believe in our agriculture"

First vice-president of the FNSEA and president of the Hérault chamber of agriculture, Jerôme Despey is on the same line. " He isimportant to contact citizens on production markets or during operations such as Welcome to the Farm. We must restore meaning, and that our country believes in our agriculture."

Sense is what Rémy Dumas, national vice-president of the JA, is asking for. But, also means, "Let's put income on the farms, we must allow everyone to invest for the future so that we can develop the areas on which we are asked to work, rather than everyone pulling in their own direction.

Same observation for Jérôme Despey: "le goal this n’ is not to oppose but to multiply initiatives. You must have the means of production: here access to water and land to preserve production potential. quot; And the minister confirmed at the time of the conclusion: "pproduce is not a bad word, in agriculture as in industry. "

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