The Ministry of Agriculture does not deny and assume. For a television advertisement from the organic agency, Annie Genevard’s office requested certain modifications, revealed by Release.
“For the first scene showing a teenager preparing a mayonnaise,” choosing a Caucasian cast “,” wrote Annie Genevard’s cabinet in a message on April 7. Release Specifies that the “photo of a Métis boy is assistant to the description of the scene in question”. The cabinet would also have asked, for a family meal scene, to “replace the couscous with cassoulet with duck”, according to a quote from Release.
To “talk to everyone”
Questioned by AFP, the Ministry of Agriculture is justified, explaining that “the campaign” is organic France “aims to speak to everyone. The subject of one of the ministry’s requests was indeed that all French people were represented, ”it is said.
On the choice of dishes, “the ministry has done nothing other than ensuring that the diversity of biological and local productions is also represented,” he said, regretting a “false debate”.
Release Specifies, still according to this exchange of emails, that couscous has been replaced, but that the cast was not changed, “all actors, actresses, children having been chosen and mobilized by production,” wrote the advertising agency.
Boost the consumption of organic products
The advertising film will be broadcast from May 22, as part of the “It’s organic France” campaign, intended to revive the consumption of products from organic farming, in pain since the 2022 inflationary crisis.
All our articles on the Minister of Agriculture
The organic agency, a national platform under the supervision of the ministries of agriculture and the ecological transition, is responsible for promoting agriculture without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.
Its operating budget (2.9 million euros) had been threatened by an amendment to the senatorial right to the 2025 budget project, which Annie Genevard, from the Republicans had not opposed, had not opposed. It was finally maintained after lifting of shields of unions and agrifood sectors.
