Perico Légasse is editor of the topic wine and food at the weekly Marianne .
tHE VOX FIGARO: the agricultural show opened this weekend. Just a few weeks FigaroVox, you stated: “The Fair will remain the major industrial and commercial brands whose profits are made on the eradication of a company they have helped to ruin.” This show does -it still make sense?
Absolutely, this show has a very deep meaning, that to dedicate the triumph of the agricultural industry through the eradication of peasant agriculture. As if a gun dealer installed a mausoleum to his glory in the middle of the cemetery of the city bombed by its aircraft. When I see the giant billboard at the sign of a famous low cost distributor in the middle of dairy cows as his stores sell an infamous import white liquid, UHT brick that ruin the French breeders, I think the provocation has limits. It’s fair thugs who come taunt the people they extort and everyone wanders these aisles and say that cohabitation is a great sign of social evolution. A joke does one?
It is still the recipient of the anger of part of the peasantry. François Hollande was booed by farmers asking him to resign …
Fearing overflows, Nicolas Sarkozy had not opened the lounge 2010. This never happened during the Fifth Republic. At least, Francois Hollande, to the level of national unpopularity, he did not steal it. The intensity of the uproar and the violence that followed did were not seen. Such insulting the head of state has been shocking. The difference is that with Nicolas Sarkozy Francois Hollande has not replied, “! Go away, silly”
It should be said height of paradox, he was under the “protection”, in addition to its security Service General Tapioca way (what failure to proclaim his fear of the people with such police deployment when it was elected by universal suffrage, that’s vacillating regime that clings), Xavier Beulin, president of the FNSEA, the union mainly responsible majority of the appalling situation in which French agriculture is. Being there, I witnessed the scene. There was something grotesque to see a forest of flags, at the sign of the gravedigger union welcome the coroner to mourn over the dead body of their common victim. For if François Hollande belongs to a party that has consistently promoted and voted, right and center, François Bayrou in mind, agricultural policies that send our peasants in the wall for 40 years, there was a sacred cynicism dose Beulin from Xavier, CEO of the multinational April (ex Sofiproteol) equivalent, the agro industrial level, of what is Michelin on the tire field, playing the representative of the ruined farmers. Let’s say he is not truly representative.
What is this contradictory?
Xavier Beulin is leading a industrial empire that not only has nothing to agricultural in the original sense of the term, but promotes an economic system which, moreover, eradicates the real agriculture. Challenged by its base discredited among its members for a long time owned factories that processes of the Brazilian industrial chicken (while sending commandos of the FNSEA to protest against poultry imports putting French industry at evil), the President Beulin was reminiscent of an incendiary treating the arsonist matches merchant. Then they went for a walk booed, addressed to one as to another.
Is not it a little easier to blame when the FNSEA we know the complexity of the issues and power relations in terms of agricultural issues?
of course the FNSEA is not alone guilty. There is also in this union, including departmental federations (FDSEA) adherents who do not share the national strategy and fought to prevent the excesses that led to the current tragedy. FNSEA is not a block. Upon succeeding Luc Guyau, in 2001, two candidates opposed in the election to the presidency of the union, Jean-Michel Lemetayer, continuer of the productivist option, representing breeders, and Dominique Chardon, bearer of a new vision of agriculture concerned with environmental compliance, bio producer in the Gard. The first prevailed. In 2010, it was the victory of the grain lobby, with Beulin
Not forgetting the deadly trio Agricole. – MSA (MSA) – Chambers of Agriculture where sometimes the same dignitaries sit in three instances . Dignitaries often affiliated with … FNSEA. Coincidence. The other scourge eradicator is retail, public enemy # 1 of Agriculture and, at this level of deterioration of the market, the French economy. But it would be too easy to blame only the institutions. When he has the money, and he does not change his eating habits in the direction of a responsible and civic attitude, the consumer is also involved in the collapse of our agricultural heritage. Hence the urgency, we never repeat it enough, a civic information for adults on consumer issues and taste education for the generations that will be customers of tomorrow.
the resignation of François Hollande would it change anything to the situation. The president and the executive are they paying for the negligence of their predecessors?
The resignation of the President of the French Republic does not change much the situation in that that the fundamental levers, which we agreed to lose control in agricultural policy, are today operated in Brussels. Furthermore it is true that the current executive inherits forty years of Wrong Way and lies. The greatest criminal is Jacques Chirac who managed to make believe that he was the savior of farmers by establishing a system of total assistantship funded by the German taxpayer through the CAP. Coup, in tactical terms, to set a one-time deficiency, but disaster in strategic terms, when installing, structurally, a fundamental economic activity for the nation in a logic of generalized subsidies. Everything was modeled and continued on this principle regardless of the ruling majority. To sum up, the way the Chinese proverb, we were given a fish to eat French farmer rather than teach him to fish.
The crux of the problem is it European?
I will not say it like that. Europe, in itself, is not a defect, on the contrary. It is even the only solution brings hope to our agriculture, in a true common market subject to free and undistorted competition focusing first community interests. True greater Europe is Europe as a priority and then the world. The opposite of what has been put in place. This is the original spirit of the Treaty of Rome and I do not despair that chaos towards which we are moving strides us back one day if we do not want the “Euroexit” understand the output of the European Union Of the history. The Commission in Brussels has become a wound. Romanian Dacian Ciolos was a good Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. His departure in 2014 was a great relief for the lobbies. Today the European Union cancer is the Atlanticist clan that acts within the institutions. The conditions of trading on the transatlantic Treaty (document kept secret, available at certain hours without permission to make a copy or translate) are hallucinating. The silence surrounding these transactions not conducted on people without warrants or representation proves that something illegal is going on between Brussels and Washington. In Paris, the topic is taboo when asked the top of the state, “Do not worry, it will not succeed, Germany will oppose.” For once, this is a big American TAFTA meteorite that may one day fall on us.
Must start restore milk quotas? If its partners, particularly Germany, refuse to hear, France should she act unilaterally?
Let’s say it was a mistake to remove them even if they were, anyway, an artificial arrangement designed to regulate the market, thus by no means a permanent solution. The real solution is that the French market buys and consumes French French milk cows by paying a fair price to the producer, not the collecting cooperative nor the distributor racketeer. The formula may seem simplistic. Yet it is the only Cartesian, efficient, fair and legitimate. For the rest, it was agreed that Germany retains the role of major industrial power and the France of the great agricultural power. Thus the Gallic and Teutonic cows had bolts were well kept. But our friend and ally dear, dear Chancellor panzer decided otherwise and the Federal Republic has also become the first European agricultural power with methods of disloyalty unnamed, in total disregard of the major European balances. Starting with the use of Romanian workers, Bulgarians or Poles subject to the social legislation of posted workers in factories in meat that the cost ruin our producers. The Germans operate the diktat. Adenauer wake up, she went crazy!
What do you think of the reaction of Stéphane Le Foll after the night tour Sunday surprise of farmers?
as a patron of the exhibition, he resented, and this is normal. . Legitimate reaction of someone who himself was tested when protesters came interpellate the home, a Sunday night
On this question, I’ll be solemn and categorical: I do not share all About Stéphane Le Foll when he tackles some agricultural issues, I do not agree with all his decisions about production chains, and nobody can suspect me of any political collusion with the government spokesman Valls but I assert here that it is the largest agriculture minister that the French Republic has been a long time. A thought for Philippe Vasseur, Glavany Jean and Michel Barnier, who were also very good ministers. Stéphane Le Foll shows undeniable skill and knows his files like no other. Without borrowing the jargon to anyone, I think he can not do everything and, when possible, others do not allow it to decide. It has a margin of French governor in 2016 Europe and must often make difficult choices. Point. I have said and written many times, here and elsewhere, its draft to make France the leading European agro-ecology, and measures installed in this sense, is a significant event. It is even a major historical turning point in the history of French agriculture from the Edgard Pisani Modernization Act in 1964. You have to go even harder, because it’s the only voice of salvation for our farmers.
You’re the only one to come to the defense minister.
of course, this is not enough, of course, things are struggling to put in place, but given the morbid hostility of officials of the FNSEA respect to this great idea, you understand why. This animosity is also the best proof that agroecology is a step towards a situation where agronomy and ecology combined enable France to become the thriving agricultural power it was.
Also, nocturnal attack at his home in Le Mans, and the acts that followed, are unfair. They leave a sick feeling for those who believe in political confrontation in the loyalty and dignity. Stéphane Le Foll does not behave like a dignitary and use a minimum of protection for personal safety. He travels in second class on the train and everyone can approach to discuss with him. Abusing this facility is not worthy of peasants, even nerve ends. Few voices are raised to denounce the method. Saturday morning on the show, I heard the insults of unprecedented violence made against him, and despite all the sympathy and active solidarity that I bring to the peasant cause, I found just disgusting to treat so. One day it will be recognized, with all the reservations we want, the good he has done to France. I say bluntly. Should one be astonished that position and would assume anything, he owes nothing to me and I owe him nothing. It is a question of values.
The angry farmers she translated more widely the gap between the elites and the people, the clash between two worlds that have nothing in common?
Not only. I would even between two conceptions of France. In a very interesting paradox in the sense that preserving the earth world can have a connotation maurassienne while also fighting environmentalists left. For what I think ecology is a conservatism as opposed to progress as a source of environmental damage. Hence the contradictions and confusions in some parties. At the same time, a certain agriculture believes in emancipation by adopting modern methods, intensive and lucrative that the socio away the heritage character of its activity. In which case it puts sustainable in the background since the market refuses to pay him the two. We are now in overproduction for a limited offer or down. Only way, producing less but better. There is therefore a farmer who does not want to become a farmer and there is the farmer who does not want to become a farmer. Whoever loves plowing with satellite guidance and he who loves plowing with feet on the ground. Not two worlds but two civilizations who oppose. This divide is at the heart of rural tragedy that we live for twenty years. Next is to graft the urban vision of this distress. A time considered a polluter, whiny, assisted the peasant is finally perceived without which we are nothing. The future of the planet is in their hands. So civilization. And this future will be what we make of it, a floor cocksucking to eat fast and cheap or a preservative that can sit around the table with good food, clean and fair. Someone who is on Earth only to produce and conquer market share of subsidized or someone who is there to feed us, supporting himself by the fruit of his work adequately paid. The laws of nature, inalienable parameter when approaching 7 billion people, will not be satisfied from those of the mandatory unlimited growth. And there is the peasant, and resource management, which will determine the fate of mankind. The company will soon what choice do if she wants to save her children.
Can the revolt of the farmers be the spark that will lead to a national protest movement? Can there be merger of struggles?
I do not think so. The great social earthquakes are generally urban. The rural population does not have enough demographic weight, which is a tragedy in itself, to induce an earthquake. However, supportive, strong and well-coordinated, peasant anger can block the country, possibly more with other sectors of society outraged. This would require a common denominator. The combined incompetence of the political class and the art of flying in squadrons blunders may well be that denominator. The terms of the big night does not seem yet exist, it will not prevent the government from having small painful morning if the mad cow continues to kick over the traces. The urgency of urgency, at this hour, and restore pride to the French peasantry. And this requires courageous decisions.
