La Poste rurale : un vecteur de vie dans les campagnes

The french 1966 « livestock act » is nothing more than a « sperm act ». This does not mean it is uninteresting from a political point of view. In order to upgrade the genetic potential of the french herd at the best international level, an efficient, scientific, centralized but nevertheless democratic system was devised, and replaced the former system which relied upon the good repute of a few prestigious bull owner. To be established, such a national genetic improving plant needed a liberal minister. Only a free trader was able to impose a law which, through the institution of regional breeding monopolies, was offending traditional vested interests. Twenty years latter, the harvest meets the hopes put in the seeds. The political lessons to be drawn from this experience are worth to be presented, even if genetics only is not sufficient to save livestock breeders, as they are under pressure from the old occidental system which is collapsing as a result of its own success.