Sheep grazing in Montpellier for local agriculture

Vision insolite en plein coeur de Montpellier. ML – Jean-Michel Mart

The Peasant Confederation demonstrated this Thursday, February 1 on the Place Royale du Peyrou. The opportunity to discuss with the public the issues encountered by farmers, in a friendly atmosphere.

Around forty sheep had taken up residence at the foot of the equestrian statue of Louis XIIV, this Thursday, at Peyrou, to the great joy of onlookers, unaccustomed to such a spectacle.

Several dozen farmers from the Peasant Confederation and other movements demonstrated "for a right to peasant income, a way out breaking with the dogma of free trade, the defense of local agriculture and healthy, quality food."

It was thanks to the authorization of the City of Montpellier that the Conf was able to have access to Peyrou. 

"They want to put out the fire, but it has been smoldering in the countryside for a very long time, with growing precariousness among farmers,” lamented Dominique Soulié. Everyone then met on the royal square for a picnic, where market gardeners and beekeepers were present.

“I've taken a week's vacation in fifteen years”

"We are subject to diktats and lobbies, deplores Jean-Paul Bessière, aged 62, who raises around a hundred sheep for meat, in Gigean. I have around ten dogs, there are the costs of electricity, diesel…hellip; So, I live on 400 to 500 € per month even though I get up at 5:30 a.m. and work fifteen hours a day. I have only taken one week of vacation since 2008! And I have never experienced such a difficult situation. The hay costs me 30,000 € per year while I only receive 20,000 € aid from Europe. We are able to produce at the price at which people buy in supermarkets. If we let our sheep graze on the Gardiole, this would reduce the fire risk and provide relief to the firefighters."

Maryne Dupont, who will be 30 years old, raises 80 goats near Clermont-l’Hérault. "Our goats go out into the scrubland every day. We sell more than 80% of our raw milk cheeses and our fromage frais directly, from March to October. It's hard to make a living but we still want to work. Because we love our goats, we know our customers and we choose our prices.

Activists prevented from going to the prefecture

This Thursday, at 12:30 p.m., several activists from the Peasant Confederation were received at the prefecture. But around ten others, who wanted to accompany them to the gates of the building, were blocked by the CRS, at the courthouse. "We were forbidden to go further because of the teachers' demonstration, but it was at 2 p.m.", regretted a breeder.

The ban was seen as an injustice, especially since there were no incidents.

Last Friday, during the mobilization of farmers in Montpellier, at the initiative of the FDSEA and the JA, their tractors were escorted by the police to the prefecture, where they dumped the contents of their skips before moving on. rsquo;set it on fire.

Dominique Soulié: “Change system”

Activist in the Peasant Confederation, Dominique Soulié raises 180 pigs outdoors in La Boissière.

Are you able to make a living from your production ?

Yes because we manage everything, breeding, cutting, sales nearby. We are a little more than the minimum wage for each partner.

Is it more difficult today than ten years ago ?

Yes because because of the speculation that occurred two years ago, all products suddenly increased by 30 to 50%, without the increase being passed on to our products. We want our customers to be able to continue to consume quality products.

You understand the farmers' anger ?

Of course. But many have worked with food multinationals and supermarkets. They have a monopoly and they are the ones who set the prices, it is no longer the farmers. And as they always want more margins… We dismantled the McDonald's in Millau (in 1999) to denounce globalization and free trade. Today, we see what this system gives. As long as we don't change it, it will get worse.

Why are you here today ?

We didn't come with big tractors, just with a few animals. We take the opportunity to explain our profession to people, and we interact with community activists.
 

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