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Michel, a dairy farmer for 25 years

Today, we'd like to introduce you to Michel, a dairy farmer for 25 years and Chairman of Alsace Lait.
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Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hello, my name is Michel. I have a farm that is part of a cooperative farming group (GAEC – groupement agricole d'exploitation en commun) with 130 dairy cows in the village of Jetterswiller. I'm also Chairman of Alsace Lait. I've spent my entire career in the dairy industry... I've been in the business for over 40 years now and I've turned my passion into my profession.


Where did your passion for milk come from?

Oh, I think you have to have a passion for milk from a very early age. Like Obelix, you could say I fell into it as a child. My parents already had a dairy farm and I grew up surrounded by animals. Naturally, I wanted to make it my profession.

Although I love animals, I have to admit that our geographical location in the Vosges foothills doesn't give us a lot of choice. In fact, of the 180 hectares, 80 hectares are grass. So, to make the most of this grass, we find dairy farming is the most suitable. You know, a farm is also an economic environment. It's not for nothing that nowadays the majority of producers still in the village are involved in dairy production. We love animals, but we also have to make a living from them.

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What qualities do you think you need for your job?

Firstly, passion... It's a labour of love!

Secondly, patience... You know, in agriculture, you sow and then let a year go by before harvesting. It's the same thing in dairy farming. You start by having a cow which then has to be inseminated. Then you have to wait nine months to have a calf which you have to raise... It's a long process.

Then, perseverance: The economic context is difficult. For 30 years, our production was governed by the quota system... This stabilised the markets somewhat. Today, we are in a period of economic instability.


Do you have any advice for young people who want to set up in the business?

I think they will have better years ahead of them than we will.

Planet Earth continues to grow and everyone needs to eat. The Chinese, Americans, Africans, everyone eats the same. Milk, meat and cereals will remain the mainstay of world food. Even if we talk about veganism today, for example, they will never eat grass.

The world's population has doubled in 30 years and there are now 7.5 billion of us. The world's milk requirement is 1 to 1.5% higher per year.

The younger generations entering the farming sector will benefit from this volume effect.

Can you tell us about your typical day?

A typical day starts around 7 am with the milking. Then, we feed and take care of the animals, then the baby calves (we have births very regularly).
Then, depending on the time of year, we work in the fields (silage, hay, crop treatment, etc.). Everyone has a role to play.

Our typical day is never monotonous, but it is highly dependent on the weather. We have to change our plans depending on whether it rains or not. We move with the seasons which is very pleasant. You don't cut grass when you know it's going to rain tomorrow... It's all about organisation.

A typical day usually ends around 7.30 pm after the second milking.

 

As a dairy farmer, do you prefer whole milk or skimmed milk?

Ha ha ha... I think my wife is making some butter at the moment. So, it must be semi-skimmed milk that we're drinking. She skims some of the cream off...

We also really like the cheese we still make on the farm... She uses whole milk for that. You know the taste of milk is in the cream!

 

What can we hope for you?

I'm 60 years old... What can you hope for me? Not to be sick, to be able to work every day... To be happy in my surroundings! And that milk prices get better.

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