Our suppliers had announced us higher rates

This year, thousands of schoolchildren in Lons-le-Saunier (Jura) régalent "organic" beef, without paying a penny more. The privilege also benefits hundreds of older characters, some committees of business and a thousand of patients and users of the hospital. In the centre of these 5,000 mouths to feed every day in 48 neighbouring communes on 30 kilometres in diameter, is the municipal kitchen of Lons-Le-Saunier. For ten years, the Jura town extends little bit right of organic agriculture on its catering.

Behind this tendency in appearance Manager Didier Thevenet une initiative of long breath to restore the quality of the capture of the city water, A persistence rewarded a few days ago by trophies of excellence, a distinction of the Bio Agency, the Organization for the promotion of organic agriculture. Its Director, Elisabeth Mercier, supply short circuit is remarkable.

The story begins in the early 1960's, when Lons-Le-Saunier is facing a shortage of mountain water. The city decided to operate a water table close, covered by wet pastures. Twenty years after, intensive agriculture has high rates of the source of 1 mg/l nitrates to 30 mg/l, above the threshold recommended for infants.

At the beginning of the 1990s, the new mayor, Jacques Pelissard, is a convention with 15 farmers of the area, who undertake to improve their practices on 220 hectares against AIDS. A decade passes and nitrate levels stabilize at 20 mg/l.

In 2001, to further improve the situation, Jacques Lance proposes to grow organic agriculture by using the lever of the municipal restoration. "Our operation in governance for both water and catering much helped us", explains the Assistant. The commune persuades a farmer to organic wheat ensuring him a purchase volume and a price. A local bakery also accepts certify to produce organic bread.

Direct supply

Over the years, the central kitchen and the Town Hall persuaded bio private cattle breeders an another stream of yoghurt and cheese. They also support the relocation of local growers. "We're always available resource locally." "It is said that the organic fodder produced by our farmers could feed herds of cows bio", insists Didier Thevenet. After some trial and error, the organic beef service is widespread this year to 5,000 meals, with the purchase on foot of 25 farmers 300 animals. Not yet won a bet: "it must prove the viability of the sector, qualifies the lead. With wholesalers, can be ordered from one day to the next day without any problem. Direct supply, one must manage fluctuations as a school strike or holidays.

Today, 45 farmers deliver live cooking, 200 hectares converted to the bio on the perimeter around the capture 920. 30 Of organic food are served, which represented in 2009 more than 12 of the total. "We are very far from the national target of 20 in 2012", smiles Didier Thevenet.

This operation allows to limit the pollution of waters and to avoid the installation of filtering systems. "The operation is cost-effective, given the cost of denitrification, 1 euro for the m3," judge Didier Thevenet. The City Hall spent 17,000 euros the first year to install the bread industry. Since then, additional costs have been limited. "Our suppliers had announced us higher rates." "We then realized that the flour and milk represent a marginal part of the final cost of the product and they had to accept reasonable prices", he recalled. As long-term contracts smooth costs: since 2008, the explosion in the price of wheat has made bio bread of canteens cheaper than conventional bread from wholesalers. The short circuit of purchase also allowed to remove intermediaries and save costs of transport.

Remains that capture water have not yet found quality of departure. Capture 14 closest farmers did not wish to take the step of the bio.