The farmers' movement has raised many questions and demands on the simplification of standards, on income and even inheritance.
Beyond the demands, operators have decided to take matters into their own hands.
This is the case of Ferme du Vieux Puits which produces 10,000 yogurts per week in a container in order to add value to its milk.
Philippe Savalle settled in Pissy-Pôville, near Rouen, in 2002.
On his farm, he has around sixty dairy cows for a production of 340,000 liters per year which, until November 2023, went entirely to the Sodiaal cooperative.
At the same time, with his agricultural employee, he manages an educational farm for two months a year and a farm store selling local products.
Very communicative and open, the Ferme du Vieux Puits also attracts more than 7,500 visitors during its open day every first weekend in September.
Also read Agricultural crisis: “Despite the difficulties, it is possible to get through it”
But Philippe Savalle obviously has to juggle the costs of producing and selling his milk: “In April 2023, through Richard Follin, the chef at Clères college, I was contacted by
J'achat Fermier.
It is a start-up founded by farmer André Bonnard based in Rhône-Alpes which is looking for breeders to help them sell their milk differently.
She was looking for a farm in Seine-Maritime to produce yogurt in a flexible way.
So, in addition to wanting to promote my milk, we accepted the challenge despite my lack of time.”
“For the moment, we have joined a network of nine producers in France,” continues the operator.
It was necessary to invest 30,000 euros for a refrigeration room, a milk pipeline, a packaging storage room but also training in food hygiene and obtaining approvals with the help of the start-up.
Also read: Michel-Édouard Leclerc believes he was “an easy target” during the agricultural crisis
This is how, since November 1, 2023, Ferme du Vieux Puits plans to transform 78,000 liters per year into yogurts “of which 80% goes to J’achat
Fermier
customers and the remainder for our own customers and at my price , thereby maintaining the Agri Ethique France certification.
In total, we make eleven perfumes, six of which are only for our customers.
With my wife Corinne, who previously worked in a hospital, we produce four days a week for the start-up and one day for us.
This represents a total of 10,000 yogurts which go for example to the Thomas Corneille high school in Barentin, the schools of Malaunay, the Jean Zay college in Houlme, to the baker in Pissy-Pôville or even to a grocery store in Houppeville.
They are very popular and we already have new requests and ideas for dessert creams and pasteurized milk,” explains Philippe Savalle.
“The real solution would be to pay the right price for our milk”
The operator can thus increase his income.
“Instead of selling my milk at 0.40 cents per liter to the cooperative, it is valued at 0.50 cents by the start-up through its sales and at 0.60 cents by our network.
This allows us to maintain the farm and pay full time.
If necessary, we will be able to increase our share next year to meet demand.
In addition, we have created a cooperative with other members to centralize our purchases of jars, packaging and natural extracts.
I also chose to buy my sugar locally, at the Sucrerie de Fontaine-le-Dun to make 100% Norman yogurts.”
Philippe Savalle concedes that “it’s a new profession for us.
If you asked us the question of whether processing on the farm is a solution to the agricultural crisis, I would give Normand's answer: yes if we have to manage to survive and no, because it's a shame not to live entirely of our products and to take a place from other people in a sector.
The real solution would be to pay the right price for our milk!
".