The event: the 1st Mediterranean Agriculture Show is Friday 14 and Saturday 15 June, in Villeveyrac

Villeveyrac, 4,008 inhabitants at the last census, will host the 1st Mediterranean Agricultural Show, Friday June 14 and Saturday June 15. Free Midi – EVA TISSOT

Designed by Michel Garcia, organized by Sète Agglopôle and Midi Libre, the very first Mediterranean Agricultural Show will take place on Friday June 14 and Saturday June 15, in Villeveyrac. Through meetings, events and conferences, it will highlight the best of land and sea production.

It’s an idea that germinated almost six years ago. An agricultural show in Languedoc-Roussillon ? And why not ? In the mind of Michel Garcia, it has not only started to germinate& nbsp;: she hatched for good.

For the vice-president of the Agglo de Sète responsible for agricultural and wine-growing activities, elected in Villeveyrac and himself a farmer, it even quickly became obvious. "There was Dionysud, Millésime bio, professional salons. But no show that mixes the population with the agricultural world, like in Provence. This was lacking in the territory."

The first thoughts were put on hold by Covid. Then came out of the boxes last October, during the Salon du Littoral. Interested from the start, Midi Event, the event service of Midi Libretook charge of the project. And the decision to carry it together at the baptismal font was quickly taken, due to the pre-election year in 2025, making it impossible to create any new event.

Objective of exchanges between the agricultural world and the population

In the Agglo de Sète double incubator – Midi Libre, the baby will therefore be born in 2024, in accelerated delivery. It will be on June 14 and 15, in Villeveyrac, the "wheat granary of the Thau basin", including the monoculture of the vines have diversified into market gardening, arboriculture, perfume plants, but also livestock farming. And on the Place du Marché aux Raisins, an emblematic place of sale for local winegrowers until the early 1980s.

Numerous meetings and activities will punctuate these two days. Beyond that, it is an objective of exchange which will be the common thread of the event. "Today we see the success of short circuits. We see how much the population, at 85%, supported the latest movement. But it is important that there be direct exchanges with the population to better understand each other, to explain the way of producing. We must reweave this dialogue, insists Michel Garcia. The transition is not a revolution but an adaptation that takes place over time in nature. Agriculture is land use planning, maintenance and biodiversity. Where there is no agriculture, the environment becomes closed."

We have the France farm represented on the scale of the Thau basin

For two days, the Show, open to all and free, will instead offer to open up by highlighting the riches and challenges of regional agriculture on the land and sea sides Around a hundred exhibitors spread across several villages will be present. All sectors will be represented: cereals, livestock, arboriculture, market gardening, viticulture and marine agriculture.

There will be no shortage of entertainment. From the discovery of the aromas of wine to musical strolls, including equestrian shows, tractor driving simulators, the escape game around the viticulture of the Thau territory… around fifty were recorded in two days."It’is a mini international trade fair. We have the France farm represented on the scale of the Thau basin. And there will always be something to do", assures Michel Garcia.

All schools in the Thau basin: primary schools and middle schools were invited to attend the Friday round tables and meet the farmers.

Two days of conferences

The first Mediterranean Agricultural Show (free entry) will be inaugurated this Friday, June 14, at 10 a.m., in the presence of Prefect François-Xavier Lauch. In addition to the activities, several conferences will address major topics linked to regional agriculture: water resources; variety of forms of diversification of agricultural holdings; agro ecology (Friday), transmission and discovery of agricultural professions and training; from the land to the plate; nourishing landscapes, the farmers of the territory (Saturday).

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