Testimonials and results

I used to pour 15 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. I was starting to get tired of it

In Brittany, Daniel Commault is a pioneer in the use of Bactériosol. In 1993-1994, he belonged to a working group, created in Haut-Gouessant, when he met Marcel Mézy. In this region of intensive breeding and important pork production, it was a time where we could find up to 100 mg of nitrates in the area. For Lamballe, the neighbouring town, the issue was simple: closing down the drinking water distribution firm or trying to improve the quality of the water. Daniel Commault has often been set as an example and the day we visited him, the president of the regional council, Jean-Yves le Drian himself, was also visiting the farm. Daniel Commault is telling us the story of his adventure with SOBAC.

" No one believed it at the time. I was an intensive farmer with cows producing 10 000 kg of milk and cultivations on which I would pour 15 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. But I was starting to get tired of it. The CAP 1992 saw a fall in grain prices while input prices would go up continuously. I was looking to be independent. I started with Bactériosol. I immediately saw the first effects when in 1997 I started to get nitrogen remains. On a short rotation field where I was at 300 units of nitrogen, there were as many at the end of the winter. I told myself: “there has been no leaching”. It strengthened my conviction. The Chamber of Agriculture would not believe in the product. I still don’t know if they do today.

Within 3 - 4 years, I saw I was right and in 2000, I signed a TEC (Territorial Exploitation Contract), in which I committed over 5 years to take measures to cut inputs, create slopes, mix weed on corn and replace mineral nitrogen by organic one. Ammonium nitrate…. I went from 15 tons to 1. At that moment, I started to mix crop of wheat and rye and to extend rotations. There is Bactériosol but there is also a global way of thinking that we need to have on our cultivations, our rotations.

Today, I have 10 hectares of grassland “10 plants” giving an exceptional quality of pasture. Thus, I have less veterinary expenses.

At the time, when translating into nitro¬gen units, it was crazy, it was monstrous

What did we learn at school? In phyto class, the teacher used to say that we needed to spread 500 kg of granary fertiliser 10-20-20 on a corn hectare summed up with manure or/and litter. For them, the soil was only a support. We simply forgot that the soil is alive. For a long time, I was focused and I listened to the technicians without thinking. You would find yourself with 15 tons of ammonium nitrate without taking into account that we had 800 m³ of slurry and that 600 tons of manure were coming up. And you had to spread that on 60 hectares.

At the time, when translating into nitrogen units, it was crazy, it was monstrous. It was the intensive thinking. There are still people working like that today. I try to talk to them through the financial aspect. Personally, I don’t know where I would be if I had continued like that. I would be stuck financially like many others.

Today I am proud to show my products

When the farmer is well in his head, aware of the good impact he has on the earth, it is the most important. Above all, it is philosophical. Before, I was going to work; today, I am living my passion. In the 90’s there was a comeback of farmer’s common sense. I remember my grandfather: it was a diversified agriculture with rotations. The absolute links were the soil, the plant, the animal and the final product. Those four elements have to be linked otherwise it makes no sense. Now I see my soil living well, my plants are of good quality and my final product is great. I sell bovine meat directly to consumers and I open my doors everyday to clients. Today, I am proud to show my products.

Now I think before I act. Before, I did what I was told to do

Nowadays, I am a cattle breeder but also a farmer, because I have learned to pay attention to my soil. Now, I think before I act. Before, I did what I was told to do. This is the main difference. In fact, an intellectual takeover of your farms fundamentals. We enter into the definition of agrology, the science whose goal is to learn from the soil in relation to agriculture. Why doesn’t it evolve faster? The collective consciousness is not there yet. There is still a lot of work to do.

Institutional weight is very present. We need to go on showing what we do. This way we will keep on going. As for the prescribers, it is the fear of the empty which keep them cold feet. They know how to sell but if they sell less what will they do then? The cooperatives need to change their commercial agents into consultants, but are they capable of it?

Persuasiveness, the reality of the soil will win. Farmers’ brains are like cultivations : they should rotate more to improve their ca-pacities. In 1993, it was the race towards yields, today it is the race towards margins. Producing simply to pro¬duce does not mean anything. Producing quality on the other hand is fascinating. It helps us find ourselves. In regards to the environment, I have always been sure that we had to do something. Those who did not start to think about it are going to be stuck soon. They will be forced to get to it.”

“In phyto class, the teacher used to say that we needed to spread 500 kg of granary fertiliser 10-20-20 on a corn hectare summed up with manure or/and litter. For them, the soil was only a sup¬port.”

“Producing quality, on the other hand, is fascinating. It helps us find ourselves.”