How is the poultry sector faring?
Bernard Tauzia: After several difficult years in terms of health and the economy, poultry consumption is really bouncing back. On the farm, the success of the vaccination against avian influenza is helping to restore confidence. As far as consumers are concerned, the signs are also positive: poultry is France’s favourite meat. Maïsadour is therefore convinced of the sector’s prospects. There are real opportunities to create value for all the links in the chain, including farmers.
What are its assets?
Michaël Dolet-Fayet: Our Cooperative is one of the few to control all stages of production, from hatching to
marketing.
For producers, this means optimising costs and sharing value: this is why I was appointed Chairman of Maïsadour’s poultry sector in spring 2024.
For consumers, it’s a guarantee of continuous traceability and quality. These are real assets of which we are proud.
What are the objectives of Fermiers du Sud-Ouest?
Michaël Dolet-Fayet : Fermiers du Sud-Ouest wants to strengthen its position as the leading poultry producer in the South-West and win market share at national level.
This means defending the Label Rouge – whose 60th anniversary we celebrated this year – which is a historic know-how of the South-West. Our ‘St SEVER’ and ‘Marie Hot’ brands are emblematic of this.
More generally, our aim is to offer a varied range of products tailored to the needs of all consumers. For example, with ‘Poulet d’Ici’, Fermiers du Sud-Ouest supplies the regional market and catering services with accessible, local, everyday poultry.
And to do that, you need volumes...
Michaël Dolet-Fayet: This is a crucial issue for our Cooperative. In recent years, we have invested in high-performance industrial facilities that are in line with our ambitions. Now, to saturate our slaughterhouses, we need to speed up development and increase the volume of all types of production, which means finding new breeders. All the more so as we have to compensate for the natural erosion in our number of breeders (5% of our production capacity each year), mainly due to retirements.
What volumes are we talking about?
Bernard Tauzia: Around 150 huts, 50 free-range poultry buildings measuring 400 m² and 15 standard poultry buildings measuring 1,350 m².
We have high-performance industrial facilities that are in line with our ambitions. All we need is volume.
Michaël, you have shown us the way...
Michaël Dolet-Fayet: I’ve been producing all types of Label poultry for a long time. Last autumn, I started producing everyday poultry. My first batches went very well and I’m pleased with this decision.
How is Maïsadour mobilising all stakeholders to address the issue of developing production?
Bernard Tauzia: Over the past few months, we’ve been meeting members of parliament from the Landes region and across Europe to raise their awareness of the issues we’re facing and to ensure that they can relay our needs. Today, developing new livestock buildings is a lengthy process that can discourage motivated farmers. These obstacles – administrative, financial and material – need to be removed.
That’s why, on 19 June, we’re organising an event on my farm to bring together all the players in the poultry industry. Farmers, elected representatives, trade associations, trade unions, banking and insurance partners, customers, suppliers… they’ll all be there. The Cooperative intends to bring its influence to bear and obtain strong decisions to simplify the day-to-day lives of poultry farmers.
And the Cooperative has already taken action since September 2024...
Michaël Dolet-Fayet: Indeed. First of all, there was the change in farmers’ remuneration in autumn 2024. Farming requires total investment on the part of farmers. If we want to encourage people to take up the profession, and make them want to do it, we need to ensure that their hard work and performance are rewarded in the way they deserve.
And then there's the new development plan, unveiled in April 2025
Bernard Tauzia: This is an unprecedented initiative for a cooperative. By combining this
significant financial support with existing aid (PCAE, photovoltaics, etc.), a farmer could, depending on the case, finance more than 60% of the cost of building his livestock building.
A final word ?
Michaël Dolet-Fayet : At Maïsadour, we put our money where our mouth is. We are doing everything we can to give farmers real prospects, so that together we can contribute to the success of the sector. We are on the right track.
Interviewed internally
