“And don’t forget to pay your MSA!” : around fifty exasperated farmers express their anger in front of the MSA of Béziers

Vine stocks, manure, straw in front of the MSA Béziers premises. Midi Libre – Mélissa Alcoléa

Dialogue between representatives of Rural Coordination 34 and the director of the MSA. Midi Libre – Mélissa Alcoléa

A minute of silence in tribute to the farmers who committed suicide. Midi Libre – Mélissa Alcoléa

Marie-Agnès Garcia, director of MSA Languedoc: “There is a need to express this anger”. Midi Libre – Mélissa Alcoléa

This Friday, March 8 in the morning, around fifty Hérault farmers dumped vine stocks, manure and straw in front of their profession's mutual social organization. They were also able to discuss with management. 

"In memory of all our colleagues who hanged themselves, who died for agriculture, we will have a minute of silence.& quot;This Friday, March 8, in front of the premises of the MSA Béziers, around fifty farmers from the Hérault Rural Coordination are carrying out a new symbolic action.

Action de la Coordination rurale 34 devant la MSA Béziers. Uns minute de silence pour les agriculteurs qui se sont suicidés… pic.twitter.com/eFXQ03TQaC

— Midi Libre Béziers (@MLBeziers) March 8, 2024

Beyond the pairs of sneakers and boots embodying these missing people, straw spread out in front of the door of the agricultural mutual society – "because&#39 ;we are on the straw" -, spilled wine, vine stocks, manure or even underpants – "because that's all I have left" – the farmers had come to talk to the MSA officials. "You are above ground!", blurted out a demonstrator addressing the director of Languedoc, Marie-Agnès Garcia, who had come to meet them. "And don'don't forget to pay your MSA above all !", chants another. "The calculation method, we want it!", they rage angrily. 

Action de la Coordination rurale devant la MSA de Béziers, ce 8 mars pic.twitter.com/3BtW3KRRUY

— Midi Libre Béziers (@MLBeziers) March 8, 2024

"We cannot cancel contributions"

"They are asking for a year of cancellation of contributions for those who cannot pay, as well as a clarification, a simplification of procedures and more support", summarizes Marie-Agnès Garcia. "We cannot cancel contributions, we have no instructions in this regard, but we can better explain and support winegrowers in distress. We are already doing it and we need to do more in difficult times". And to recall the envelope of 5 million euros for the spread of payments.

The organization remains in the sights of farmers. "They announced they were welcoming winegrowers in distress, they see 3 in a morning, there are 8,000 of us in Hérault" , says Justin Caumin, wine worker in Saint-Guiraud. "My father died of Parkinson's and autoimmune hepatitis: to get compensation as an occupational illness it was the cross and the banner. As for suicide, my father had the idea several times…"

"We don't want a bonus but a real structure"

Jean-François Chaperon, president of Rural Coordination 34, sheep breeder  in Bédarieux, believes at the end of these new exchanges that concrete progress is insufficient: "We also met the prefect, the minister, the people are nice , we have discussions, but when we look at the results, we see a regression. We were promised a blank year… We don't want a bonus, we want a real structure, we are going to lose 200,000 farmers. We are asked to pay to work, the young people are leaving!"

At their side in this fight, several mayors (Tressan, Aumelas, Sainty-Bauzille-de-la-Sylve, Popian) made the trip. Unfair competition, weight of charges, standards, controls… They know the issues by heart: "We are very committed, they explain. We follow them as much as possible, because we come from this land. You have to be there, they say. 

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