The Elysee and Matignon supported the approach

The dairy crisis raises the problem of the future of agricultural production, according to Philippe Mangin, President of Coop de France, the organization that represents the set of cooperatives. He is convinced that farmers must become owners of industrial tools, otherwise a part of them will disappear. The reconciliation of the European leader D'Entremont and cooperative group Sodiaal (Yoplait) sounding boards for the benefit of producers and creates a new powerful co-operatives of Northern Europe near model in France.

D'Entremont preferred closer of Sodiaal instead of Lactalis, which has yet greater financial power. This is the first time that Albert brother, the shareholder in control of Entremont, combines with a cooperative group. That is that has satisfied it

Indeed, no one in the cooperation did more believed after initial discussions between the leaders of Sodiaal and Albert brother. They it were not really past. Without the active intervention of public authorities, to be nothing. Bruno Le Maire, the Minister of Agriculture, has spent hundreds of hours. The Elysee and Matignon supported the approach.

Why are the first discussions badly past

Issue of corporate culture. Modes of operation and reasoning of cooperatives are very different from those of private groups.

Why have the public authorities so favored cooperative solution

Because matching D'Entremont and Lactalis have given rise to a dairy Mastodon to which milk producers would have had that very little, or no bargaining power. And it would be routed to that farmers must avoid: the creation of dairy deserts in France. We must realize that the rapprochement with Lactalis would have resulted in a major restructuring and moving the dairy territory for gains of competitiveness.

What will be the mounting legal and financial, given the differences of status of Sodiaal and D'Entremont

The solutions are both multiple and complex. Final assembly must be decided this month here under the aegis of the Ciri. Personally I hope that the selected schema will allow real links between the two companies and will not simply juxtapose them. It is fundamental for the future of agriculture that operators now weave capitalistic links with businesses and they become shareholders.

Is it not already the case in the cooperatives

Non. Farmers hold shares of the capital, but are not shareholders in the classic sense, with the liquidity of the securities that can transfer or purchase at any time. This explains also that co-operators do not have the obsession of the return on investment in contrast to the other shareholders. The negative corollary is that they do feel not really involved in the conduct of the Affairs and management. In General, they consider that it is the case of the leaders. The French cooperative model is this extremely different point of view of the large co-operative groups in Northern Europe.

Is this the right time for farmers to invest in a dairy company, while the sector is in crisis

The future of agriculture depends on the willingness of operators to create new relationships with businesses. If they do not, here a few years, plants move, they will lose their opportunities and they will disappear for many. The only way to anchor the productions in the territories is to ensure that farmers become owners of industrial tools. At least in part. In this case, the new Sodiaal group must ensure to go very quickly and to present an industrial project which they seduce.

In there ways

The debt of Entremont is a big problem. Everything depends on the attitude of the banks. Will they accept to surrender claims Need to find ways to restore the effectiveness of the company while paying properly milk producers.

Is this realistic

It is the cooperative solidarity. All co-operatives must make an effort to boost prices. It must stop dismantle emmenthal and instead aim to create a large pole for the production of this cheese, as indeed Lactalis wished to do so by purchasing D'Entremont.

So you advocate a form of agreement on the price

There is no need to go so far. There may be more concerted strategies and other cooperatives or other companies can form alliances with this new set. Everyone must make an effort to redress the dairy situation.