A sheep farming test area has been set up in Lot

at the invitation of Catherine Marlas, President, PNRCQ (Causses du Quercy Regional Natural Park)On Monday, July 3, 2023, about fifty people participated in the Big monastery to gramsTo the Constituent General Assembly of the Association of Preparatory Sheep Agricultural Testing Area Package.

This test space is in response to a call for projects from the Avril * Foundation which, with Occitania region It will be financial support.

Mr. Michel Laverdi, Vice President of PNRCQ, and Mr.^I Anne-Laure Cances, PNRCQ’s Agriculture and Space Management Officer, presents this sheep test space project.

They remember his upbringing: for more than two years, accompanied by ADEFPAT, a group of committed breeders, technicians and representatives of the PNRCQ, the Chamber of Agriculture, the organization and company Sélection Ovilot, ADEAR du Lot (Association for Development Agricultural and Rural Employment), CAPEL (Agricultural Cooperative for Production and Livestock in the Lot), GEOC (Caussenard Sheep Breeding Group), the “Transhumance en Quercy” association, the Agricultural Apprentice Training Center and the Center for Vocational Training and Agricultural Promotion (CFAA-CFPPA) of the lot, have worked to create a sheep breeding test area on the territory of the park.

Sheep farming test area objectives

As part of the promotion of the Causse du Lot, sheep breeding and the renewal of farmers, this association “Sheep farming test space” aims to:

– Studying, preparing and building the future organization of this collective tool

– To facilitate the installation of leaders of agricultural enterprises by providing them with one or more agricultural testing areas and appropriate professional support, within a secure legal and physical framework and for a fixed period (one year, renewable twice),

– Communication and bringing this tool to the attention of technical and financial partners

– Developing the activity of production and agricultural education

This association aims to be non-union and non-political.

The motivations of the candidates for agricultural testing space integration are detailed:

Gradually starting his project in raising sheep,

– test the feasibility and vitality of their installation project, test their capabilities and motivation,

– Adaptation of technically redirected or improved project sponsorship

Candidates must be eligible for a CAPE (Business Project Support Contract), have first breeding training or experience and be able to finance the purchase of their first lamb. Through the CAPE contract, the candidate placed in a real situation will have legal and social housing. It will benefit from appropriate support and means of production (land and equipment)

Each candidate will have a dedicated teacher educator, who will be paid. Who can accommodate candidates? It could be a farmer or rancher close to retirement who is wondering about moving their farm or would like to change the size of their farm or reduce their workload. They can also be communities that make their lands available. The availability of these territories is temporary, when the test takes place at the future place of the project leader’s installation, or permanent, when the test takes place in a designated place, from which the project leader must exit at the end of the test.

Discuss with the room

During the discussion with the participants, there was a question regarding possible confusion between the test space and CEFI (Contrat Emploi Formation Fitting). It was determined that, unlike CEFI, the testing space was reserved for real business leaders who experimented with their projects more independently than in CEFI. Two of the participants lamented that this future association was not open to agricultural unions. A response was formulated: “Those who join this venture are first breeders or breeders, of course, they may or may not be unionized.”

specific name and office

The platform (one vote against, one abstention) was adopted by the people who worked on the development of this project. Four names were put forward to the assembly for a vote: “Vira Pastre” – “Lo Pastre” – “La Clède” – “Trotte-moutons”. The name “Vera Pastri” (translation: become a shepherd) has been retained.

Office established: President M^I Céline Lamotte, Vice Presidents, Sandrine Rivière and Michel Laverdette; Secretary Guillaume Boissot and Christiane Rossi; Treasurer Nathalie Vigoi and Sandrine Boni.

M^I Marlas, Mr. R. Branco, Vice President of the Department responsible for Agriculture and Co-Regional Development and Mr. P. Fouché, President of Ovilot spoke at the end of the meeting. They congratulated all the actors of this project for their personal investment in serving a group that would promote the installation of new breeders and breeders on the territory of the park.

Roland Beutch

* The Avril Foundation supports the transition of agriculture towards models that create sustainable economic, social and environmental value, and real links between farmers and citizens to respond to the solidarity development of the regions

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