Less than a week after the broadcasting of a video filmed in the Sobeval calf slaughterhouse in Dordogne, the association for the defense of animals L214 counter-attacks, and this time publishes… a somewhat embarrassing exchange of emails for the ministry of Agriculture.
These emails sent in error to the association and since posted on its site suggest that these images show many non-compliances with the regulations. And this, unlike the official communication issued in recent days in the media.
According to L214, these exchanges dating from February 19 and 20 "betray the concern generated by these new images". In one of the emails, a senior official claims to have “made the list of NCs [Editor's note; non-conformities] undeniable, even major identified ”. Another email from the minister's office insists “We need edl [Editor's note; elements of language] concrete for tonight ”.
“Elements of concrete language”
Elements of response are then proposed: the slaughterhouse is subject to regular controls, compliance with health and animal protection rules is "satisfactory", "the only non-conformity identified [in December] [...] was corrected since "" the video can go back several months "," if certain nonconformities can be identified on this video, they remain minor or have been corrected since ".
According to senior officials of @Min_Agriculture, the offenses are "undeniable, even major" ⚠️
This slaughterhouse must immediately close and the Minister of Agriculture resign!
➡️ https://t.co/jFGfgQ1hy4 pic.twitter.com/NnDUUrlbvb
These elements of language would have been disseminated internally and transmitted to the prefecture of Dordogne as to the interprofessional association of the livestock and meat sector (Interbev) and the Federation of meat trades (Fedev), according to emails.
The case is particularly embarrassing for the Minister of Agriculture, Didier Guillaume who had argued Sunday on Europe 1 that "the images" revealed by L214 showing calves dying for long minutes were "not proven". "The images are taken over several months or several years, are pasted one against the other," criticized the minister, excluding closing the slaughterhouse.
"Clear deficiencies in state services"
Similarly, in a press release published on the day the video was put online, the Dordogne prefecture defended itself from all negligence, saying that there was "no evidence of non-compliance with the regulations" .
Faced with this double discourse, the Minister of Agriculture "Didier Guillaume must resign" considers the association which denounces "clear deficiencies in the services of the State". "The prefecture, the veterinary services, the services of the ministry and the minister himself knowingly chose to lie and use elements of language to mask a reality recognized by their services", indignant the association.
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And to wonder: "What confidence can citizens place in a ministry that lies to them to hide its shortcomings, thereby committing a serious fault?" ".
Contacted at the start of the afternoon, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Dordogne prefecture have not yet responded to our requests.
In parallel, Sobeval announced Thursday that it was filing a complaint against L214, believing that "the allegations" of the association on "serious ill-treatment" and "multiple offenses" were "damaging the honor of Sobeval and its operators" .
