L214 distributes emails that embarrass the Ministry of Agriculture

Did the Minister of Agriculture Lie? In any case, this is what L214 said on Tuesday. The association published on its site e-mails which are said to have been exchanged between senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture concerning the Sobeval slaughterhouse in Boulazac (Dordogne). A few days earlier, Thursday February 20, L214 had published images shot in November and December 2019 in this calf slaughterhouse, which belongs to the Dutch group VanDrie.

The content of the emails sent suggests that the ministry recognizes many “non-conformities” in this slaughterhouse, contrary to what the official communication suggested, namely that animal welfare was respected. The Sobeval abattoir in Boulazac – the largest in the Dordogne with 3,400 calves slaughtered per week – is authorized for standard types of slaughter, i.e. 70% of its activity, when Kosher and Halal represent 30%. However, L214 denounced multiple violations of the law in this establishment. The images show, for example, signs of the calves regaining consciousness at slaughter stages where they should be completely unconscious.

The Minister of Agriculture, Didier Guillaume, had however affirmed on Europe 1 this Sunday, than “facts and picturesWere not proven. “The images are taken over several months or several years, are pasted in relation to each other“, Had assured the minister, before adding that he had immediately diligently”controls” showing “that respect for animal welfareWas there. A speech similar to that of the prefecture of the Dordogne, three days earlier. “At the first viewing of the association’s videos, there is no evidence of non-compliance with the regulations” had thus indicated the prefecture in a press release.

“Elements of concrete language”

Except that the internal emails to the ministry of agriculture, published this Tuesday by L214 come to contradict the communication of the minister and the prefecture. These compromising emails were exchanged between senior ministry officials the day before and the same day the video appeared, according to the association. They were sent “by mistake»To an association, indicates to Figaro Sébastien Arsac, spokesperson and co-founder of L214. “This association had written to the Ministry of Agriculture to demand accountability. She is used to interacting with them. Someone got the wrong recipient and they received these emails which they forwarded to us“.

The first exchanges in this loop of emails bringing together a dozen people, date from February 19. The day before the publication of L214 images therefore. According to the association, the services of the ministry were warned by a journalist and had “the investigation video but also the press release, the report and the rushes“. “We need concrete edl for tonight …“, It is written in an e-mail sent in the morning of February 19. The “edl” are the language elements used in communication to respond to the press in particular. They are prepared in advance to ensure the consistency of a speech.

At the end of the day, another email attaches a proposal for language elements. It is mentioned that these elements were transmitted to the prefecture of Dordogne and to the veterinary services of the department (DDPP), but also that they could be sent to Interbev – the National Interprofessional Association of Cattle and Meat – and to the Federation of Wholesale Meat Industries and Trade (FedeV). According to this correspondence, the strategy adopted would be to insist on the fact that “full inspection was carried out in 2019“, than “the NC [Non-conformités] identified in November“Have since been corrected but also that”video cannot be dated“.

The last email revealed by L214 is however the most embarrassing since it suggests that the services of the ministry are well aware of the “non-conformities” presented in the video. “I made the list of undeniable, even major NCs noted!“, It is written in this email published on February 20 in the morning.

L214 again called for “the immediate closure of the Sobeval slaughterhouse“. The association filed a complaint with the public prosecutor of Périgueux for “serious abuseTowards animals. Sobeval has filed a defamation lawsuit against the association. L214 also calls on Minister Didier Guillaume to resign. “It’s very disturbing, believes Sébastien Arsac. This shows that he is able to lie publicly, we no longer trust“.

The ministry of agriculture reacted Tuesday evening in a statement, indicating that the general direction of Food (DGAL) is currently carrying out “a new establishment inspection“. “The national veterinary investigation brigade and a national slaughterhouse referent will be on site tomorrow for an in-depth investigation“, It is written. A report will be sent to the ministry on Friday morning. Regarding the mail leak, the press release states that the Director General of Food, Bruno Ferreira, “confirms that there is no evidence to date to confirm the presence of such non-conformities in this establishment“. And to add: “An internal investigation is underway to understand the motivations of this email“.

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