The president of Lactalis, Emmanuel Besnier, assured the president of the FNSEA, the crisis of salmonellosis does not have consequences on the farmers in contract with the giant dairy, she said Tuesday, January 16 at the AFP. We had a “commitment that there will be no impact on the price of milk to producers”, Mr. Besnier “assured”, said to AFP Christiane Lambert after an interview between the FNSEA, Young Farmers, and the president of the giant dairy products.
The minister of Agriculture and Food, Stéphane Travert, must bring together all actors of the dairy chain, as of late Tuesday afternoon, to make the point about this crisis and its consequences on the sector.
“This is not a problem in livestock production, or delivery of milk, it is an industrial accident in the company. We have had confirmation that the responsibility of producers is completely ruled out”, they will not, therefore, “not to suffer the collateral damage” of this crisis, ” said Ms. Lambert.
The Lactalis group has maintained the collection of milk from farmers normally delivers the plant of Craon (Mayenne) today closed. But, in the face of the magnitude and duration of the problem, the unions have made themselves the echo of the fear of the producers to see it stop.
“Projects of modernization work”
“We have obtained the commitment that the maintenance of the collection would last regardless of the length of the crisis, before the overhaul of the site, the milk going to other transformations,” said Ms. Lambert.
The unions have also had confirmation that “the expertise and the cleaning” of the plant are in progress and that the group Lactalis has “works projects of modernization and rationalization,” for the plant of Craon “leaves of transformation”, she assured.
Thirty-seven babies have been diagnosed with salmonellosis in France – of which 18 had been hospitalized after having consumed a milk or a product of infant feeding Lactalis infected, according to a balance sheet as at 11 January.
Friday, the FNSEA and the other unions (FNPL and Young Farmers) had asked to speak with the president of Lactalis, Emmanuel Besnier, to give assurances to the dairy farmers who provide this food industry giant.
During the summer of 2016, an arm of iron had opposed these producers and the group to succeed in lifting prices of purchases carried out by Lactalis that they thought was too low.
(With AFP)