Jean-Luc Boujon (at St Romain de Popey) / Photo credits: AFP 7:50 a.m., February 20, 2024

After the measures announced by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who will also give a press conference on Wednesday, many farmers are growing impatient and believe that these promises are slow to materialize. For some of them, it is urgent, the survival of their farm is at stake.

A few days before the opening of the Paris Agricultural Show, farmers are putting pressure on the government again. Several actions took place over the weekend and again on Monday, in Marseille, for example. To try to once again appease the anger of the operators, Emmanuel Macron receives the FNSEA and the Young Farmers this Tuesday while Gabriel Attal will give a press conference on Wednesday. Some farmers are getting impatient, the survival of their farm is at stake. Europe 1 went to a dairy farm in Saint-Romain-de-Popey in the Rhône.

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“We live on my wife’s salary”

Fabrice Gilardon has been a breeder for eight years. For 18 months, the organic milk it produces has sold very poorly, the fault of inflation and the declining purchasing power of the French. Consequence: the price at which he sells his milk has fallen, as has his income. 

15 days ago, the government promised aid of 50 million euros for the organic sector. For Fabrice, there is an urgent need to receive this help. "I would like to benefit from it. I would need at least 15,000 euros to pay what I owe to my suppliers. To live off my production, someone would have to buy my organic milk at 500 euros per 1,000 liters, 0.50 cents per liter. Today, we are around 0.42 cents per liter. I am losing money, it really makes you think because I still have a family to support... We live on my wife's salary, we are not going to feel, if the situation lasts, I will not be able to hold on", he whispers.

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 Farmers' anger: the government's promises are slow to materialize, according to farmers

“There is a margin that is lost somewhere, who benefits from it?”

Beyond aid, Fabrice would like the government to act to set a fair price for the milk produced by breeders. "In the long term, I want visibility on a profitable sales price. Why today, are we paid less for milk and we see it more expensive in stores? There is a margin that is lost somewhere. Who does she benefit?” In the sights of breeders: mass distribution.