“Let’s keep a specific Aveyron!” exclaims Jacques Molière, president of the Chamber of Agriculture

Jacques Molières quittera la présidence de la chambre d’agriculture de l’Aveyron début 2025. Centre Presse – JOSE A. TORRES

Le président de la chambre d’agriculture de l’Aveyron ne cache pas une certain e colère face à la crise actuelle. Il appelle les agriculteurs aveyronnais "à ne pas lâcher". Entretien. 

How do you view the anger currently shaking the agricultural world in France but also in Europe ?

The reason for this discontent lies in the general fed up with this profession of farmers. More than income, it is the reason for existing as a farmer that is in question. In terms of income, the Aveyron scheme is a third of farmers who live very well, a third who live well and a final third who have difficulty making ends meet.

But knowing how to differentiate products, keeping agriculture on a human scale, and letting men and women be the central link in the plan is what guides Aveyron agriculture. 15 or 20 years ago, we opted for this direction and we made the right choices. It's up to new generations to take over. But I think that Aveyron must keep its specificity with, above all, significant assets.

Does this model still remain viable ?

This is how we have kept economical agriculture. A model that has enabled the development of a dynamic and strong agri-food sector. And we can also talk about the environment. Aveyron is also the fourth department in France to generate CAP with 80% of the territory covered in grass. And as far as I know, grass releases carbon.

In my opinion, this Aveyron plan is promising for the future. We must keep it and continue to promote the products. You have to keep a specific Aveyron. Look: when there is a drop in consumption of Roquefort, it is damaging for Roquefort, but also for the entire department. I jump when I see that some, here in Aveyron, are ready to give up on ground-based photovoltaics.

I am thinking in particular of what is happening in Laissac. If we don't keep Aveyron specific, we will kill it. And I call on farmers not to give up. Otherwise, in a few years, there will be no more agriculture, and no one will come. In any case, tourists will not come to see the photovoltaic fields…

"Supporting the development of agriculture on a human scale"

The attractiveness of the department and the agricultural profession is at stake ?

We have put tools in place to support the development of agriculture on a human scale. There are 204 installation requests for this year. There were more than 150 last year. What is put in place works. Agriculture still attracts. Not enough, of course, but that is changing. To do this, we must maintain farms linked to livestock breeding. We must do everything possible so that those who settle down have a good job, offering them a global vision in twenty or thirty years. After being good managers, it is also important today for the sustainability of farms.

Afterwards, it remains fragile. 40% of the agricultural population is over 50 years old. There is a great challenge to take up, but if we copy what other departments are doing, and I think again about this problem of ground-based photovoltaics, we will be wrong.

Should livestock remain a priority in Aveyron ?

You must not let go of him. And, I repeat, this also concerns the entire agri-food sector. Twelve Aveyron companies are present at the Salon de l’agriculture, with the support of the regional chamber. As are the Lacaune and Aubrac sectors. Breeding deserves to be very supported.

We also need an agriculture that opens up to the outside world, which welcomes people who are not necessarily from the inner circle… We see people in their forties reconverting to agriculture. It’s very good. But it is through collective action that we will succeed in this challenge. The Department and the Region are well aware of this.

We must nevertheless adapt to the change in society, on the climate…

Yes, you have to adapt. Water storage is one of them. Simplification of procedures on this subject will be necessary. Overall, I would say that we must let the rural world live.

You echo the administrative burden…

Yes. We must stop annoying the peasants. And stop suggesting that they all do anything. Particularly on an ecological level. For example, concerning the ecophytosanitary plan. I would like to remind you in passing that Aveyron is in 87th place for the use of phyto products.

And everything that is asked of a farmer for this use is insane. There are dozens of examples of this. On the environmental level, agriculture, thanks to research, innovation and analyses, has done more than many other sectors. So you have to know how to press pause at some point. To use the slogan of peasant mobilization, we must find bias, common sense.

Precisely, speaking of slogans, in the early 1990s, Raymond Lacombe launched "no country without peasants"…< /p>

(He cuts). And this slogan is still relevant today. More than ever even. It is on this slogan that Aveyron agriculture was built and must continue to be built.

 

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