Organic continues to gain ground on the Ile-de-France farms.
"The 30,000 hectares cultivated in organic farming are exceeded in Ile-de-France", notes the regional observatory of organic farming (ORAB), led by the GAB IDF (group of organic farmers).
“With nearly 6,000 additional hectares
(Editor's note: 4,000 more hectares in 2019)
and more than a hundred new farms installed or converted in 2020, the Ile-de-France region has a total of 546 organic farms.
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The GAB adds that "the 2020 commitments supplant the dynamics of the last two years" and that "the average committed area is 54.7 hectares per farm, a slight increase compared to 2019."
These new farms are spread over the entire region: 49 in Seine-et-Marne (the department most committed to organic), 27 in Yvelines, 16 in Essonne, 7 in the inner suburbs and three in Val- Oise, the department that is the most lagging behind but where "things are moving".
Breeding, market gardening, arboriculture, viticulture ...
“All types of production are represented,” explains the observatory, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
54 farms in field crops, 14 in market gardening, 6 in beekeeping, 6 in breeding, 6 in arboriculture, 5 in perfume, aromatic and medicinal plants (PPAM) and 3 in viticulture.
Several farms have a mixed, organic and conventional farming profile, which represents a potential for land to be converted in the years to come.
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For Jacques Frings, president of the GAB and farmer in Seine-et-Marne, a “pioneer” because he has been involved in organic farming since 1977, conversions represent “the most important lever” in the evolution of organic farming in Ile-de-France. France.
Because if out of the 102 new certified organic farms in 2020, around thirty are the result of “new settlers”, 69 of them are converted conventional farms.
"The conversion to organic is no longer scary"
“If it remains a challenge and is often reported as a change in profession, conversion to organic farming is no longer scary, considers the ATM.
It appears as a solution to move towards new outlets, a way to enhance its production, to depend less on market fluctuations, to be sometimes more in line with its values and finally to respond to growing consumer demand for products. of quality but also, and this is one of the effects of the crisis, of local production.
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It is a bit of a mixture of all these reasons that pushed Olivier Judéaux, his uncle and his mother to convert their two farms of 70 hectares each located in Civry-la-Forêt (Yvelines).
"The family farm, in mixed farming, has existed for several generations," he testifies.
We have been thinking about organic for a long time.
But at the time, it required a lot of tillage.
Being all double assets to ensure income, the way of doing organic farming seemed too time-consuming and complicated.
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More than ten years ago, the family therefore opted for conservation agriculture (no plowing, plant cover in the soil, etc.).
“We have greatly reduced fungicides and insecticides in recent years,” continues the 33-year-old farmer.
Five years ago, to fight against pests, we introduced products with natural extracts
(Editor's note: maceration of nettle, honey, essential oils…)
, to reduce the use of phytosanitary treatments.
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"Without help, we would not have been able"
Olivier Judéaux and his family also talk to neighbors who have gone organic.
“The methods have evolved a lot, he believes.
We talk a lot with converts, new settlers… We also found people and structures that could help us find technologies and methods suited to our operations.
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And they took the plunge in spring 2019 for the 140 hectares of the two family farms.
“But without help, we would never have been able,” emphasizes Olivier Judéaux.
You have to invest in very expensive new equipment, and it's a big upheaval.
During the first five years, the revenues from the exploitation are very affected, all the cards are put on the table.
But it is also very interesting, because we put the plant back at the heart of the reflections, we make it more our own.
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Clover and radish to rest the soil
Olivier Judéaux hopes to start a first phase of marketing his AB cereals this year.
“We should have a first harvest with a plot,” he predicts.
In 2022, we will have our spring crops organically, and for organic wheat, it will be in 2023 if all goes well.
We have reintroduced some old varieties to open up other outlets for baker's and miller's flour.
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Some plots, like the one in front of Olivier Judéaux's farm, will rest: no crops for five years.
“We just put clover, radish, to decompact and nourish the soil.
We are working with the Bird Protection League, and it will be a refuge for the little owl.
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Such journeys, the ATM still wishes a lot in the coming years.
"The regional council and its president (Libres!) Valérie Pécresse supports the ATM and organic farmers," underlines Jacques Frings in his latest editorial.
Since 2019, it has fully maintained direct aid to farmers for maintenance, when so many others have nothing or cap them.
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Finally, the president of the ATM is banking on the new orientations of collective catering: “We are working with the region to help the collective catering of 420 high schools in Ile-de-France to reintroduce organic food.
The potential is enormous and concerns all productions.
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