The economic weight of farmhouse Saint-Nectaire

Economic implications…

The Saint-Nectaire sector as a whole represents the second activity in Auvergne, both in terms of jobs and turnover, after Michelin. 994 producers, 288 of which make cheese on the farm, sustain an economic activity which is essential in this difficult area, thus preventing agricultural decline on the Cézallier and Sancy mountains which would otherwise become partly desertified.

...and environmental conservation

The specific flora of natural prairies situated at altitudes between 900 and 1,200 meters, contributes to the distinctive taste of Saint-Nectaire cheese.

With over 50,000 head of cattle, dairy cows and heifers for herd renewal, the herd needed for the production of the AOC Saint-Nectaire milk is fully involved, in an extremely active manner, in sustaining an open landscape, which is characteristic of the Auvergne.

Without this presence, pastures would gradually become invaded by purgative broom and later colonised by forest.
This “wild forest” would mean the disappearance of the wide variety of the extraordinarily rich flora in the pastures in the Auvergne volcano area, one of the most diverse and rich in Europe.

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