Anger of farmers: “We don’t want to live on aid, but on our work” confide people from Hérault

Lucas Mialane, éleveur de brebis au Caylar. Midi Libre – ALAIN MENDEZ

Un viticulteur de Saint-Drézéry et un éleveur du Caylar confient les obstacles qu’ils rencontrent dans l'exercice de leur métier, au quotidien.

They have two different jobs but live the same reality. Jean Lacauste, winegrower operating 47 hectares at Mas d’Arcaÿ, in Saint-Drézéry, and Lucas Mialane, breeder of 300 sheep and 3,000 chickens and capons per year at Le Caylar, testify to their daily difficulties.

Economic difficulties

Jean Lacauste : "Until 2018, the harvests were correct in volume, but since then, it’s over. The market has not recovered from Covid. We had to distill and then suffered freezing. In 2019, the Trump tax destabilized bulk. There is also the fashion of “Dry January” (January without alcohol) and inflation. And since wine is an adjustment variable in the household budget…".

A system that works on its head

Lucas Mialane: "80% of my income comes from aid from the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). This is absurd. Without CAP aid, we would only make chicken, not sheep which are expensive to produce. Not long ago, I was selling meat at the same price as my grandfather in the 70s! It's been going up for a few years, but as everything has increased at the same time… When I receive these aids, they are immediately absorbed by fertilizers, diesel, vet… In the end, I don't even get a minimum wage!"

Binding standards

Jean Lacauste: "The QR Code on the bottles no longer links to the merchant site, which worked well, but to a list of inputs present in the wine, which no one reads. We are prevented from using phytosanitary products which are nevertheless effective, such as against wood diseases. Not to mention GNR (non-road diesel), a tax-free product that we will have to pay 2 &euro for; the liter. I feel like a tightrope walker on a tightrope with a backpack where we add stones every day."

Lucas Mialane : "The help files are too complicated to fill out. We don’t want to live on aid, but on our work. Realize that the standards are simpler if you lock the poultry in a building. My poultry, I want them to be outdoors!"

Climate change

Jean Lacauste: "Since the 46 °C in 2019, we have had extreme episodes every year. We are in the process of setting up drip irrigation but it is expensive, long and complicated. And not possible everywhere. We are making 50% of the yield we did ten years ago."

The fear of wolf attacks

Lucas Mialane : "I suffered two attacks for which I was compensated, but there is always the fear of losing sheep, despite the presence of several dogs protection. We are told about compensatory aid, but what we want is for there to be no more wolves."

Today's manifestation

Lucas Mialane : "I am united, even if we don’not agree on everything. I won't be able to go, and I don't want to bother people. I still returned the signs for my town on Wednesday evening. And no one put them right side up this morning."

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