On the 18th of November 2022, the French Apple Pear Association (ANPP), the French Federation of Fruit, Vegetable and Horticultural Cooperation (FELCOOP), the French Federation of Fruit Producers (FNPF) and the Association of Producers' Organizations Tomatoes and Cucumbers (AOP) have mobilized to fight against their government. The producers of Tomatoes and Cucumbers of France have officially filed a complaint against deputy Julien Bayou.
On the 23rd of August 2022, in an interview on French TV channel BFM-TV, Julien Bayou, the Europe Ecology deputy, had explicitly encouraged acts of destruction against agricultural water reserves and assured that he would support in court any person committing such acts.
© @FNPFruits
On the 29-30th of October 2022, as a response to this call for the destruction of agricultural water reserves, several particularly violent demonstrations took place against the project to build water reserves in Sainte-Soline, causing dozens of injuries and the degradation of equipment and private property of farmers. These water reserves were, however, the object of administrative authorizations, all confirmed in court.
Unjustifiable destructions suffered by the agricultural world and the population
These water reserves are essential for French farmers who are faced with increasingly frequent droughts. They allow them to store water in the winter time when water levels are high in order to have enough water available during the summer droughts. This practice helps them avoid drawing water from the underground table in the summer, so it reduces water stress when water resources are the most exposed and fragile. The destroyed water reservoirs were used by hundreds of producers working on small-scale farms (2.5 to 18 hectares) and committed to virtuous ecological approaches (reasoned practices, organic…). The destruction carried out by environmentalists goes against our need to feed the population and our food sovereignty objective for the country.
No politician should be allowed to encourage actions that destroy the environment
By calling for the destruction of these water reserves, Julien Bayou has directly encouraged, provoked, as well as legitimized the events of Sainte-Soline. Bayou's words are linked to significant and motivated violence against farmers and their installations. Several parliamentary reports have recently confirmed the excess mortality by the suicide of farmers, particularly because of the constant bashing they are faced with.
Condemning these acts: a priority for fruit and vegetable producers
At a time when farmers are faced with multiple crises, as well as a general decrease in fruit and vegetable plots in France, ANPP, FELCOOP, FNPF, and AOP Tomatoes and Cucumbers of France consider that it is important not to let Bayou's remarks go unpunished. The objective was to cause the destruction of very expensive agricultural infrastructures that were the working tool of so many farmers.
In this context, the four federations and associations have decided to file a complaint against deputy Julien Bayou with the public prosecutor of Poitiers.