Open letter from a farmer to a consumer
I'm a fan of sunrises, uncertainty and the original nature of Delibes. Maybe you're more into sunsets, the ones you applaud in Ibiza with a spiced Gin-Tonic in your hand. You need me at least three times a day, but you're not aware of it because you've always had a full fridge. Even being a foodie is "cool" thanks to a goatherd from the Sierra de Málaga. Even if you don't see me, I'm the one who puts the word "charm" on weekend getaways in a rural cottage. Yes, the bucolic landscape and breakfasts with free-range eggs also bear my stamp. Behind every "good taste in your mouth" there is someone of mine.
I go to bed with the CAP and I get up with the CAP. It is the only thing that we all truly share as Europeans. It dictates the rules of the game, which are usually changed by some very well-dressed gentlemen in Brussels every 4 or 5 years. Every time I go out into the countryside I feel like a kind of Benzema in an eternal offside. They say that they change it so much because you want happier chickens and pigs and a greener production model. The CAP is with you. And with your spirit. We have the most respectful agricultural model with animal welfare and the environment in the world. However, you are not willing to pay a few cents more for food and when push comes to shove you are sensitive to low prices and white label products from third countries that do not have environmental standards and in some cases use child labour. You demand five-star farms but you want to pay the prices of a shared room in a student flat. Take a moment and you will understand. I will give you a clue: what Machado said about value and price.
The subsidies, which you usually call me a greedy person for, serve to allow you to consume healthy and safe food at an affordable price. My costs are sometimes higher than what I am paid. I cannot put a price on what I produce. Others impose it on me. Maybe that is why they call me “the weakest link in the chain†despite the hardness of my work.
Don't think I look so much to the sky for miracles. I can't afford to be in the clouds. A storm can ruin a year's effort. I'm conservative, not because I'm afraid of change, but because I have a lot to lose. Having your income depend on the whims of the weather keeps you grounded.
And yet, I have dreams. There is something magical about transforming water, land and sun into food. There is something heroic about feeding the world. There is something transcendent about leaving future generations a sustainable natural environment.
Sincerely,
Your local farmer.
PS: Remember that tonight, like every night, we have dinner together. Put on the candles and smile. I'll take care of the wine and cheese.