Crisis in agriculture: where are we with the application of emergency measures and aid in Gard ?

David Sève, président de la FDSEA du Gard, vigilant sur la soixantaine de mesures annoncées et sur les aides d'urgence. Archive MIKAEL ANISSET

Gard farmers, who maintain actions, are also focusing on the application of measures to receive emergency aid. They are long overdue, particularly in viticulture and the organic sector due to the complexity of the files.

Next week, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron will meet representatives of agricultural union organizations to take stock of the measures announced in January, then in February in the midst of the agricultural crisis.

An anger which has not subsided and is still reflected in the Gard by several actions "sporadic"especially in large areas. This week, there were labeling sessions for foreign products and a rally in Nîmes, Wednesday March 13, to support the Alès slaughterhouse. Another question mobilizes the minds of farmers: but where are we with the payment of emergency aid ? 

President of Bienvenue à la ferme dans le Gard, Patrick Viala, based in Saint-Nazaire-des-Gardies, sums up the feeling of many of his colleagues: "Apparently, the phrase "emergency measures" does not have the same meaning among those who govern. In viticulture, we are waiting and in organic the aid will be paid one month late, i.e. on April 15 instead of March 15. It's unfortunate to see that, despite the announcements, we haven't seen anything concrete yet."

The wine industry will come together

As a reminder, this is one of the measures of this crisis, an emergency fund for viticulture of 80 M€ is mobilized for the departments which have winegrowers in greatest difficulty.

The latter were alerted in particular by the Departmental Directorate of Territories and the Sea, a message also transmitted by the majority union of the FDSEA. "As many winegrowers as possible must meet the criteria. We hope that the files will be completed within ten to fifteen days. For viticulture, there was a meeting at the DDTM this Wednesday. We are trying to catch up with as many winegrowers as possible in difficulty. We are at 1,200 files in Gard", specifies David Sève, president of the FDSEA of Gard.

The wine industry will meet on Wednesday March 20, in the afternoon, at the Federation of Gard Cooperative Cellars, in Nîmes, to take stock of all the hot issues from the moment. The message sent by the FDSEA has not changed: it is that of favoring French products, in particular Gard wines " #39;flow".

Letter to the Minister

A letter was sent in recent days to the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau who, according to the agricultural unions, was committed to the dam from the A9 motorway to Nîmes, to promote national production.

A meeting between distributors and traders to prioritize French agricultural production is highly anticipated. The FDSEA noted on this subject that the Lidl brand had put more wines from the region on its shelves "an effort to be welcomed even if everything is not not perfect", dixit David Sève.

One of the figures of this winter's mobilization is well aware that impatience is great, particularly among wine growers who represent 60% of farmers in the Gard.< /p>

From next week's meeting in Paris with the President of the Republic, he expects details on the 62 measures announced such as mirror clauses (same environmental standards elsewhere to avoid unfair competition), the phytosanitary plan (what about practices in Spain ?), on crop insurance, etc.  A necessity to get out of this agricultural crisis.

Viticulture: expand the number of farmers eligible for emergency aid

On the subject of emergency aid for viticulture, the Gard prefecture mentioned the meeting of an expert committee on Wednesday March 13 which decided to broaden the eligible public to agricultural companies with a wine-growing vocation and having at least one operating partner as the main operator. It was therefore agreed to extend the opening of the aid application window via the electronic platform "simplified procedures" until Wednesday March 20. Those who are eligible: main operators, GAECs, EARLs and other legal entities whose purpose is agricultural exploitation of which at least one partner is the main operator. The first payments should take place next April.

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