Some 200 angry demonstrators entered the Lactalis headquarters in Laval (Mayenne) on Wednesday, February 21, at the call of the Confédération Paysanne, to denounce the practices of the giant of the dairy industry and demand better remuneration for breeders. , noted a journalist from Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The demonstrators managed to force entry using two tractors and took over the reception hall of the headquarters, covering the premises with stickers proclaiming: “Our profession has a price. Lactalis, return the money hidden in tax havens.” Signs read: “Lactalis, predator of value” and “Lactalis kills.” “Lactalis is the world number one in milk which is not able to pay its producers correctly,” Laurence Marandola, national spokesperson for the Confédération Paysanne, told journalists from the reception of the agro-industrial group. . And added: “Lactalis is the global and national emblem of companies that prey on our work, the price of our products and the work of farmers. »
“There are so many profits that do not trickle down to producers and breeders, it’s an absolute scandal,” said the head of the agricultural union, accusing Lactalis of “enslaving practices” and of inflicting “retaliation” on all the breeders who publicly protest against his methods by refusing to collect their milk. “They can’t talk, the Lactalis breeders,” she said.
The new Egalim law “can’t wait until summer”
Asked about the announcements made in the morning by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, Ms. Marandola judged that the new version of the Egalim law, supposed to guarantee farmers an income taking into account their production costs, could not wait until this summer. “Prioritizing priorities can’t wait until summer. If, in two weeks, we can resolve questions about phytosanitary products, why couldn’t we in a few weeks adopt a law that protects the income of farmers,” she said. And Gabriel Attal “did not guarantee a minimum price that would cover our remuneration and our production costs,” she criticized.
With more than 28 billion euros in turnover in 2022, Lactalis has dethroned another juggernaut, Danone, as the French leader in the agri-food industry and entered the world’s top 10 in the sector. The group, which celebrated its 90th anniversary in October, has 270 production sites in 51 countries and 85,000 employees. Its products, whose packaging bears no mention of Lactalis, are sold in 150 countries.
