pubLiC poLiCy: tHe roLe of LoCaL farm produCts

Conference
proceedings
4 & 5 march 2015
Champagne Ardenne
Public policy:
the role of local farm
products ?
LFarm products – a significant issue
for French agriculture
Participants in the introductory plenary : Thierry Rémy : Confédération Paysanne, Haute-Marne
| Jean-Jacques Bailly : Confédération Paysanne, Champagne-Ardenne | Judith Carmona : National
Confédération Paysanne | Jean-Michel Rabiet : Conseil général de Haute-Marne (Haute-Marne regional
council) | Patricia Andriot : Champagne Ardenne
EditoRIAL
Public policy reform is ongoing, and farm production is still struggling to be recognized and
integrated into these reforms. Nonetheless, on
the ground, a large number of farm production projects are bringing about social and
economic innovation. These projects create
jobs, encourage local, sustainable eating and
help rural areas thrive.
The Confédération Paysanne Champagne-Ardenne (the Champagne-Ardenne branch of
the second-largest French farmer’s union,
the Confédération Paysanne), working out of
this context, decided to take part in New CAP,
New Horizons, a joint EU-French campaign,
in order to help promote and provide input
to farmer initiatives working for local farming
production to be recognised, developed and
defended.
The Public Policy and Farm Products conference was intended to support and help
expand the Confédération Paysanne’s work
for the recognition of farm production.
The aims of the talks were:
è to inform farmers selling their products
locally about the different public policies
that could help develop farm and processing
production.
è to give the different regional Confédérations paysannes, as well as Ardear (Champagne-Ardenne Regional Association for the
Development of Rural and Farming Employment) the opportunity to speak on their
experience of local farming on the ground
and put forward their proposals as part of the
‘parliamentary mission on local farm product
marketing and relocalization in the agri-food
sector’, led by Brigitte Allain, Dordogne MP.
è to contribute to the Confédération paysanne’s proposals based on the experience
of Confédération members throughout France.
Une initiative co-financée
par la Direction Générale
de l’Agriculture et du
Développement Rural de
la Commission européenne,
« Nouvelle PAC, nouveaux
horizons ». Le contenu de
ce document est de la
seule responsabilité de la
Confédération paysanne et
la Commission européenne
n’est nullement responsable
de l’usage qui en sera fait.
The discussions in the introductory plenary went
over the context for the conference, with an
overview of local farming in the area where the
conference was being held and a brief presentation of the work Champagne-Ardenne farmers
and ARDEAR have accomplished, as well as the
national ‘New CAP, New Horizons’ campaign.
The plenary also gave the various participants the
opportunity to outline what their understanding
of farming is and how they wishe to contribute to
local farming initiatives.
Where farming is concerned, the role of policymakers is to analyse the needs of society and
draft relevant policies that address those needs.
There is currently a demand for high quality, local
products; however, it is equally important to take
into account the impact they may have on society
in terms of health, the environment, or jobs. We
must support the development of ecologically,
economically and culturally aware farming.
New generations of farmers must show commitment to this political cause, which will in turn
allow them to showcase their products and give
them pride in their work. At the same time, civil
society would benefit from thinking more critically
about food provenance and food policy.
Farming in Haute-Marne
Haute-Marne is an extremely
rural and wooded department
with historically strong farming,
forest and metallurgy sectors.
Currently, depopulation is
rapidly increasing.
Half the Haute-Marne’s
territory is devoted to farming,
mainly cereals, oilseed crops
and high-protein crops, milk,
meat. Farms are for the most
part family-owned or part of
a collective, and they are also
some of the biggest farms in
France, with an average size of
174 hectares per farm (2010).
Farming accounts for 4000 jobs
in Haute-Marne, spread out over
1850 farms.
This trend for farms to expand
while the population becomes
sparser can be avoided: possibilities for development exist,
but new guidelines need to be
established on the ground.
Lastly, there are several general necessities
when supporting the development of farm
production:
è An
understanding of production systems
diverse approaches and favouring local knowledge over hierarchical structures
imposed by government
è Using agricultural training as a way of changing local attitudes
è Including farming products in procurement
contracts
è Taking into account food sovereignty when
creating agricultural policy
è Understanding
The Confédération paysanne’s work on short
distribution channels and farm production is therefore essential, particularly its proposals made
in the framework of the second pillar of the new
CAP (EAFRD 2014-2020). Thus, a farmer’s organisation present at the regional, national and
European levels is key as this will allow us to
directly address policymakers on the subject of
investment aid policies and ensure small farms
and collectives are not left out.
Champagne Ardenne ARDEAR: a foot in the door
for farm products
La campagne Nouvelle Pac,
The New CAP, New Horizons
campaign
This conference did not come
about spontaneously. A group
of farmers working with the
ARDEAR has been working on
short distribution channels and
farm products themselves for
several years, in partnership
at both the national and European levels (with their Spanish
and Austrian counterparts in
particular).
This conference was organized
thanks to financial support from
the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture (DG Agri), in the framework
of the New CAP, New Horizons
campaign, thanks to which
a number of other events on
peasant farming have been
organised elsewhere in France :
meetings with locals, documentary screenings, drinks and
dinners with farmers, farmer’s
markets, Peasant Farming
Week at the Institut des Etudes
Politiques [Institute for Political
Studies], and a city farm in
Paris.
In a similar framework, other
events have taken place
around Europe, in particular a
conference on short distribution
channels in the Netherlands
and a talk on peasant farming
at a university in Italy.
The conference also received
financial support from the
Conseil Régional de Champagne-Ardenne and the Conseil
Général de Haute-Marne.
The farmers of the ARDEAR
have mainly focused on support for farmers, from training
to good hygiene practices,
and implementing local short
distribution channels longterm by analyzing the social,
economic and environmental
quality of the different farming
sectors. The results can be
viewed online on the ARDEAR
Champagne-Ardenne website.
Local slaughterhouses: a starting point
for developing farm production
Intervenants de la première table ronde : Participants in the first roundtable : Mikel Hirribaren : National Confédération Paysanne | Judith
Carmona : National Confédération Paysanne | Yvan Six : FNEAP (French National Federation of Slaughterhouse Owners) | Philippe
Mauchamp : Vosges Chamber of Agriculture
After a brief presentation on the work and demands of the Confédération Paysanne with regard to farm production, this roundtable
mainly focused on slaughter and slaughterhouses.
More than just a key tool for livestock farmers, slaughterhouses are
also at the heart of the meat industry, where production, processing and sales meet.
Uneven slaughterhouse distribution throughout
France
There were 286 slaughterhouses in France in 2010, most of them
private sector slaughterhouses. The number of slaughterhouses
has been steadily decreasing since the early 2000s. In parallel to
the decreasing number of slaughterhouses, average tonnage is
increasing.
Currently, industrial group slaughterhouses represent three quarters
of French tonnage (source: French Ministry of Agriculture report,
Xavier Ravaux). Slaughterhouses are distributed very unevenly
throughout France; the vast majority is located in the northwest.
Local slaughterhouses are necessary
A strong network of local slaughterhouses is therefore key – it
creates economic activity in rural areas, provides support to traditional butcher’s stores and contributes to the development of farm
production and short distribution channels.
The Vosges example of ADEQUAT
In the Vosges departement, the ADEQUAT Foundation (Abattage
DEcoupe QUAlité Tradition – slaughter, cutting, quality, tradition),
founded by local producers, slaughters more than 1000 tonnes a
year and offers the complete slaughtering and meat preparation
process (transport, multispecies slaughter, maturation, evisceration,
cutting, packaging, freezing).
Many factors contribute to the success of the ADEQUAT project –
striving for optimum quality, keeping the operation to a manageable scale, seeking conditions that are favourable to the group,
such as support from local farmers.
A lack of services adapted to farm production
Numbers aside, it appears that even when slaughterhouses are
present on the ground, their services do not always cater to local
farmers’ needs.
For example, many industrial group slaughterhouses are now
single-species (dealing only in beef), with no additional services
such as cutting or maturation on offer. This can in lead to problem
situations, in particular for small ruminant farmers.
‘An analysis of the slaughterhouse
network must take into account
the various functions of slaughterhouses. It would be a mistake to
decide based solely on France’s
national market and on export,
even if the latter market is superior in terms of turnover. Local
slaughterhouses provide significant
revenue and jobs.’
French Ministry of Agriculture report,
Xavier Ravaux, 2011
The Confédération Paysanne and
farm products
Farming is a key concern for the Confédération Paysanne, and more so as it is
directly linked to the personal experience
of Confédération members all over France.
It can be difficult to define farm production
and how to approach it with regard to
farm size or production volume.
However, the union is active on this topic,
in particular regarding :
è the recognition of farm production
è the
adaptation of regulations suitable
to small-scale farms
è the development of collective
processing tools
è creating
a space for political debate on
farm production
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The Confédération Paysanne has
the following demands for the
investment aid programme :
è Support for the development of agriculture based on the peasant farming model
è Increases
in aid for mountain farmers
è Increases
in aid for small-scale farms
è Prioritizing collective projects (pooling
and sharing resources)
è Prioritizing projects selling their products
in short distribution channels
è Prioritizing projects selling certified
quality products
è Abolishment
è No
of minimum quotas
obligation to increase farm size
è Prioritizing
job security
Local slaughter : aims and means
Participants in the first workshop on local slaughter : Norbert Handrick et Thierry Thil : Founders of local slaughterhouse in the north
of Moselle | Claude Cornu : Farmer and manager at the Dommartin-les-Remirement slaughterhouse
The testimonials and roundtables on local slaughterhouses allowed
us to focus on diverse issues, in particular farm product designation, the financial conditions needed to set up local slaughterhouses, regulatory standards, professional training and the
opportunity for local development that local slaughter can provide.
Professional training
Another vital issue for farming and local slaughter is professional training for those working in the farming sector. Different skills should be
emphasized :
è Butchers
Farm products and slaughter Farm products must first and foremost be of high quality – and
thus, must be slaughtered to the highest standard. In order to
ensure high quality slaughter, a number of factors must be taken
into account:
è Reducing
stress levels in livestock
è Reducing
travel time for livestock
è Respecting good slaughter practices (hygiene, but also handling
livestock and meat)
è Know-how:
and cuisine.
mastering traditional local butchering techniques
A business model for local slaughter
Choosing the right business approach for slaughter is a crucial and
complex factor in founding a local slaughterhouse. The right tools
to ensure the project is kept at a suitable scale and wise investments are made are vital, since many slaughterhouse projects fail
to be profitable.
Finances aside, opening a slaughterhouse also entails successfully
managing considerations specific to a certain area so that the
demands of the local market in terms of services are met.
To reach a balance between supply and demand, the slaughterhouse project, those carrying it out, and local conditions must be
assessed using the right methodological tools.
Rules and regulations for local slaughter
It seems important to point out that in France, the enforcement of
regulations varies widely from one department to the next, depending on the veterinary services in each department. In addition,
state services can sometimes work against farmers, rather than
offering them additional support and advice, in particular with regard to the new hygiene regulations, which are more results- than
means-focused.
farms
should be trained to work with products specific to local
è Local
butcher knowledge and cuisine should be incorporated into
training programmes around farm products
è Extra
training should be given to peasants dealing with consumers and marketing their products
è Slaughterhouse
workers should receive training on good slaughter practices, respecting livestock and the final product.
Tools for our networks
Our working group put forward several specific proposals :
è A handbook
with guidelines on how to start and manage a
local slaughterhouse should be put together, thus maximising the
success of local farming businesses
è A repository of current local slaughterhouses, including information on tools used, methods of slaughter, traceability and regulations should be put together as an outline of best practices.
è Setting
limits to transport distances for livestock, to keep farming, breeding livestock, slaughter, transportation and consumption local. Livestock should be transported to slaughterhouses no
further than, for example, 150 kilometres from the farm where it is
raised. .
Useful tools for peasants and local communities
These working proposals are a way for us to defend our farm
practices as well as providing us with the legal elements necessary
to deal with the government in the event of a dispute.
Practicalities aside, working for the development of local slaughter
also contributes to the development of rural areas and communities. If we are truly in favour of developing quality farm production,
the issue of local slaughter needs to be raised with the government
and brought to the attention of the public.
When dealing with complex regulations peasants often face extra
difficulties and their rights are not always respected, especially
since sometimes they are unaware of these rights. It would thus
be judicious to support peasants when dealing with rules and
regulations.
3
Farm products: quality food
available to all
Participants in the second roundtable : Ségolène Darly : Geographer at Paris VIII University | Alicia Boudou : Conseil Général Côte d’Or
(Côte d’Or Regional Council) | Mathieu Dubois de Labarre : National Institute for Agronomical Research, Dijon
The second roundtable focused on making good quality farm products available to everyone, using two main distribution channels:
mass catering and food aid.
While these issues may seem less immediately relevant to farm production, the second roundtable revealed that they are dependent
on and complement local and farming approaches.
Farming networks, from country to city
The participants began by underlining that the history of cities is
tied to the surrounding areas of farmland. Urban policies are thus
linked to farming policies, especially those dealing with regional
development and planning and food aid throughout Europe, both
of which were initially developed within the framework of the CAP
(Common Agricultural Policy).
During the roundtable talks, it was emphasized that developing
farm and peasant production without including the various collectives and bodies distributing food aid would be a missed opportunity. This becomes even more imperative when dealing with urban
areas in need of food autonomy, since the ‘green belts’ surrounding
cities in the past have mostly disappeared.
Mass catering: limited farm products
Farm products – especially dairy products - are sometimes included
in mass catering. The limited presence of farm products in mass
catering operations like canteens is often linked to a limited range
of products that are often difficult to obtain or sometimes unknown
to the chefs and managers in these establishments.
However, the reasons for the lack of farm products in mass catering
are more broad-ranging than a mere lack of marketing. The real
causes lie in the new budget restrictions placed on mass catering during the restructuring of the service sector over the last
few decades. Budget restrictions mean that kitchens are often
not equipped with areas to store and process vegetables, or
the workers have not been trained to make use of these spaces.
Often, mass catering outfits buy pre-processed or pre-peeled and
–washed vegetables through purchasing groups. For mass catering
businesses, public calls for tender are also an issue, pitting farmers
and agro-industrial firms against one another in situations where
the former very rarely come out on top.
In addition, workforce resources are limited, as is the food budget.
These issues are an obstacle to bringing quality or farm products
into mass catering. This, despite the fact that better quality ingredients make for a decrease in food waste, which in part makes up
for the extra purchase cost.
Relevant initiatives for farm products
and mass catering
Despite the obstacles mentioned above, different areas have been
successful in implementing innovative schemes to promote farm
products in mass catering. Financial compensation mechanisms
for mass caterers have proved useful, as well as creating a single,
centralized platform of producers to respond to potential demand.
4
A relevant measure to increase the amount of farm products being
used in mass catering is working with mass caterers on their specifications for calls for tender. While it is illegal to angle mass caterers
towards farm production specifically, these specifications for calls
for tender could be drafted so as not to exclude local farm products. They could also prioritize them indirectly by imposing certain
requirements for product freshness. The Conseil général de Côte
d’Or (Côte d’Or Regional Council) is an example of this, working on
sample tender documents that favour the use of quality local meat
in mass catering. In a similar vein, farm producers should receive
support when drafting their responses to tenders.
The last key measure is of course public awareness and professional training for mass catering chefs. Chefs must be trained to work
with raw, unprocessed products and be informed when dealing
with catering managers as to the kinds of product they should be
using. Similarly, spaces for dialogue among producers, chefs, managers, consumers and student parents should be created, allowing
for better communication among those concerned.
Farm production, hand in hand with and solidarity
Local farms play a significant part in public health initiatives, as
schemes to bring local farm products to socially and solidarity
conscious food shops have shown. These schemes are proof of the
fact that creating socially conscious, community-supportive farming
is possible, by creating spaces for the general public and farmers to
meet, thus building food democracy together, in solidarity.
Lastly, this roundtable focused on the potential for sustainable
agricultural and social development within the framework of a
resolute food policy.
Food aid was initially introduced as a way of equalizing access to
quality food for the whole population without creating divisions in
society, with the goal of eradicating public health issues by means
of a healthier diet. Moreover, food aid can also be viewed as a
way to support rural development by prioritizing a specific farming
model.
Reconnecting food aid and farming assistance could be a powerful
lever for a more sustainable society with more solidarity. Linking
food aid and farming assistance is far from impossible : in the
United States of America, around 80% of farming assistance is
provided via the food aid programme. The choice of which farming
model to support is there; governments have the power to prioritize local farms.
Demands for food policy and impact on
agricultural policy
Participants in the second workshop on food policy : Magali Jacques :MIRAMAP Regional Association for Local Farming | Michel Nizet :
Comptoirs paysans, local farm products online store | Mathieu Dubois Delabarre : National Institute for Agronomical Research, Dijon
The group working on food policy identified 7 key areas essential
to developing farm production and integrating it into food policy.
Supporting peasant farming and peasant
farm workers
The working group first aimed to highlight the fact that farm production is only possible due to a solid network of peasants working
in rural areas. Therefore, the best way to demand food policies
grounded in high quality farm products is to support peasant farmers in France and elsewhere, by taking political action on several
different fronts:
è Reminding policymakers of the specific working conditions of
small-scale farms and requesting that support for these farms be
è integrated into both agricultural and food policy
è Fighting against both international free trade agreements and
unfair competition, which are a damaging force against peasant
and family farming on all continents
On the lookout for new initiatives Beyond these local initiatives, social innovation must also be taken
into account, with new, experimental schemes to be carried out
on the ground. These initiatives should be implemented using a
local approach to create a network of local knowledge specific to a
particular area, developing efficient, modern methodological tools
and bringing social science research and farming communities
closer together.
Initiatives for educating the public
about quality farm products Developing innovative social schemes for food policy and producers
would be impossible without public awareness of the importance
of the food we eat. It is vital that schemes to educate the public
from a young age on the importance of quality food are implemented and reach a wider audience than the limited number of
‘better informed’ consumers that currently exists.
Dismantling legal barriers
In order to do so, we must broadcast a precise message about
farm production and its link to quality food and a more supportive
society. These ideas will be broadcast to civil society, in particular
to agricultural training centres, who should be the first to be better
informed about this topic, as well as taking part in initiatives that
support farm production.
Several aspects of the current legislation are a significant obstacle
to the specificity of farm production being taken into account.
Building a more supportive society, together è Defending
the income of peasant farmers, in particular that of
farmers negatively affected or left behind by the Common Agricultural Policy
Hence, if high quality, socially responsible farm production is to be
developed, volunteer work on farms should be given legal status,
thereby reinforcing the ties between farmers and consumers, as
well as between farmers and food aid recipients.
In addition, public calls for tender should be more open to farm
production. Quality and local provenance should be the key criteria
in these calls for tender and, more generally, in food aid policy,
where product cost currently remains the key criterium.
These different working proposals all aim to create spaces for
dialogue for different strata of civil society, in order to work on
new modalities of social organisation as a group. This participatory
aspect is key as a way of breaking out of the hierarchical model,
bypassing militant groups whose debates often remain unknown
to the public. Working together will allow us to build a permanent
path to progress, for producers as well as consumers.
Aiming for food democracy
Fair, consistent food policies are impossible without taking into account the differences between the parties concerned. These policies
must be jointly built at the regional, national. European and international levels, with input from small-scale producers, consumers,
food aid recipients and policymakers. This will allow us to reinforce
the ties between these different parties, as well as re-establishing
a balance between local producers and consumers and putting an
end to the domination of the agroindustrial complex.
Support for and encouragement of more
local initiatives Sharing local knowledge in order to create a database of innovative
schemes and ideas is a key contributing factor to food democracy.
Financial, technical and organisational support for the projects that
are part of these schemes is essential in all the sectors related to
farm production: food aid, mass catering and short distribution
channels.
5
Promoting farm products in mass catering settings
Participants in the third workshop, on mass catering : Fabrice Berton et Philippe Prot : Association Manger Bio en Champagne
Ardenne (‘Eat Organic’ Association, Champagne-Ardenne) | Gérard Collin : Chef, Chaumont Agricultural Secondary School | Gratienne
Edme-Conil : Haute-Marne Chamber of Agriculture | Samuel Martin : GRAB – Organic Farming Research Group The working group for mass catering decided to focus on a number
of key issues: political action, raising awareness in civil society, tool
development, training and knowledge sharing.
Broadly speaking, political action is the main tool at our disposal:
ensuring mass catering uses farm products cannot be achieved
without firm political will.
Policy proposals: a focus on public health and the
environment
With this in mind, health should be the cornerstone of food and
agricultural policy; organic farming, which is much more beneficial to health and the environment than its trditional counterpart,
should be recognized as an issue of public interest. Similarly, smalland medium-scale peasant farms and their products should occupy
a more significant place in public policy. Aid to farms should also be
allotted based on labour units (LUs) rather than on the surface area
of farmed land.
The recognition of alternative farming models should go hand in
hand with a change in food policy to promote the use of quality
local farm products in mass catering. This would have a positive,
preventative effect on public health, as well as, allowing us to
move on from the current catering model, where low prices reign
supreme but total expenditure ends up being extremely costly in
terms of the negative effects of the mass production and consumption of lower quality food.
In favour of change in modes of governance
It goes without saying that political choices on the scale of the
above suggestions ought to be made via transverse governance, in
partnership with the farming collectives affected. This groupwork
on policy change should be rooted in methodology, to ensure
product quality, as well as sound financial principles, to take care
of any extra costs that may arise due to the switch to high quality
local farm products.
Against Free Trade Agreements
On the political level, our last proposal is that international free
trade agreements not be signed. Signing these agreements would
completely override any and all local efforts to effect change in
agricultural, food and health policies. From this point of view,
the success of local initiatives depends on a refusal to sign these
agreements.
Public awareness: an urgent issue
A significant amount of work is to be done to help people understand from childhood that a healthy diet consisting of locally sourced
food is vital for our health and environment. Mealtimes should be
the cornerstone of these educational initiatives, which would also
allow us to reclaim mealtime as a key part of living together.
Positive experiences and results around local food products should
also be broadcast: media exposure, parent-child and local school
initiatives, or, ore broadly, social initiatives.
6
This public awareness campaign also aims to develop more informed, critical thinking about what we eat, by giving children and
parents a direct opportunity for their own taste experiments in a
positive environment.
Lastly, increasing the use of organic and farm products in school
canteens is an excellent way of developing awareness about food
waste, especially as many testimonials have shown that better
quality products lead to a decrease in food waste.
Developing the right tools
There is a deep need for a national level tracking tool to map
supply and demand of farm products in mass catering. The right
tracking tool could speed the use of farm products in mass catering
and would be a useful way to organize supply. Manger Bio (‘Eat
Organic’ association) in Champagne Ardenne is a useful model to
lean on, and creating a large scale version of the tool would also
be a simple way of getting around administration restrictions.
Training producers and caterers
Last but not least, training programmes for the different groups
involved in farm products and their distribution are a powerful tool.
Training on alternative farming and food processing techniques,
collective production organisation, and how to draft responses to
calls for tender should be made more widely available to peasant
farmers.
Training will empower chefs to learn and use the traditional tricks
of the trade, working with raw and unprocessed products. Awareness about including farm products in calls for tender will be raised
among mass catering managers.
As well as more traditional training sessions, we also aim to set up
spaces for dialogue between peasants, chefs, educators, student
parents and students, by breaking bread together or in other
settings.
Farm products: next steps for the New CAP,
New Horizons campaign
Participants in the closing plenary : Geneviève Savigny : European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC) | Patricia Andriot :
Champagne Ardenne | Brigitte Allain : Dordogne MP | Mikel Hirribaren : National Confédération Paysanne
The closing plenary allowed us to come up with new ways to
continue our campaign for peasant farming and farm production
together, as well as putting together fresh initiaves to make our
campaign heard by politicians and civil society.
mind, implementing a syllabus or awareness campaign about quality products for school pupils is a way to educate future consumers
and give them the means to make informed choices about their diet
and their environment.
Current territorial and political reorganization:
an opportunity
Notwithstanding the lack of consistency and clarity on the ground
that the current territorial reform and redefinition of the CAP 20142020 programme seem to be causing, the changes underway are
an opportunity for us to make our voices heard by policymakers,
taking a firm stand and defending our values and vision of farming.
Protecting farm product designation
The growing demand for quality farm products is an asset for the
development of local farms. However, caution must be taken, as
this new predilection for quality products represents a potential
market of some significance, and farm product designation being
‘ripped off’ by actors in the agro-industrial complex is a real threat.
Thus, farm product designation must be clearly defined, and restrictions must be set on which products are eligible to be designated,
in order to protect peasant farming and prevent agroindustrial
companies from making away with the fruits of our labour.
In this same vein, now more than ever is the right time to fight
for a fairer society, with collective, consistent local organization
working to relocalize the economy, while also keeping in mind the
issues of a globalized world. We must come up with new modes of
organization that do not attempt to separate the core interlocked
social issues of public health, diet, farming, or protecting the
environment.
What is more, the need to move towards all of the above using
participatory and inclusive measures is clearer than ever when
taking into account the violence at the Sivens Dam Project, where
the use of force has become a given.
Developing civil society’s commitment
In this framework, the participation of civil society is of extreme
importance, as it will also attract support from further afield. The
creativity and dynamism of movements such as AMAP (Associations
for Community-Supported Agriculture) and local community grocery
stores are proof that support from civil society can only be a good
thing when it comes to developing peasant farming.
Moreover, we highlight the need to defend small-scale and peasant
farming against international free trade agreements, some of which
are currently being negotiated behind the scenes by our governments, and which would have a significant impact on farming,
bringing down our current efforts to defend and showcase local
farm products.
Strengthening ties with Europe
At the European level, the Confédération paysanne is working with
26 other peasant organisations within European Coordination Via
Campesina (ECVC).The possibilities for dialogue outwith our national borders are an opportunity; culturally diverse approaches to
farming can help us learn from each other, as well as inspiring new
initiatives. In addition, countries such as Austria and France have
a long tradition in farm production which can be of help in other
countries looking to develop or implement these farming systems
at home.
More awareness about farming- and food-related social issues
must thus be raised in civil society, without neglecting awareness
about other issues such as health and the environment.
Quality food is also a way to connect with society. Most consumers
would benefit from greater awareness about quality products, this
being an issue among very young children in particular. With this in
Organising our conference:
more than just talk
Organizing two days of workshops and
roundtables with participants from all over
France was a challenge. Room – and, of
course, board – had to be provided to the
participants.
The conference set an example for quality
farm product use: every single product used
in meal preparation came from farms in our
network, most of them local, and a significant number of them from farms belonging
to conference participants.
Special thanks to Maude, Charlotte and
Angie (GIE Association), whose Saturday
night ‘Fairy Palace’ dinner gave us the opportunity to explore sumptuous vegetarian
cuisine using wild plants, local recipes and
surprising new flavours.
One step further : a parliamentary
mission
The conference is also part of the parliamentary mission on short distribution
channels and relocalization of the farming
and agrifood sectors, whose rapporteur,
Brigitte Allain, MP for French party Europe
Ecology-The Greens and former national
spokesperson for Confédération paysanne,
was present.
The aim of the parliamentary mission
– which will act jointly in metropolitan
France and French overseas territories – is
to identify initiatives that can be imitated,
as well as analyzing possible obstacles to
local projects for the relocalization of short
distribution channels.
In this context, the conference serves as a
hearing; Mme Allain said certain proposals
deserved further government attention.
7
Une initiative co-financée par la
Direction Générale de l’Agriculture
et du Développement Rural de la
Commission européenne, « Nouvelle
PAC, nouveaux horizons ». Le
contenu de ce document est de la
seule responsabilité de la Confédération paysanne et la
Commission européenne n’est nullement responsable de
l’usage qui en sera fait.