Last week, the shock came from Narbonne, in Aude. An empty Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA) building was the target of a fire on the sidelines of a farmers’ demonstration. No victims to deplore but a symbolic act insofar as the MSA which manages the daily life of the agricultural world. “It is a unique organization in the field of social protection”, underlines Francois-Emmanuel Blanc, general director of the central fund, on Youtube. But what exactly is MSA?
A private organization that makes rain and shine
“The MSA provides all social benefits and collections,” explains Francois-Emmanuel Blanc. Among farmers, it serves as social security, family allowance fund, Urssaf organization, occupational medicine and retirement fund. All of this at the same time. And this has been happening since 1930, the date of its creation, or even before with the “agricultural mutual insurance” group, born in 1900.
Installation aid, scientific research, etc.
Specific installation assistance is even offered. And the organization has been participating, for around ten years, under study Agricanscientific research work over a long period which demonstrated that certain cancer diseases could be linked to agricultural practices through the use of phytosanitary products.
How it works ?
This MSA is a private organization that functions a bit like a mutual fund, but compulsory for employees and non-employees in the agricultural world. Every five years, members vote to elect approximately 13,700 delegates who participate in general assemblies and appoint the board of directors. With 17,000 employees, the organization has woven its web throughout the country thanks to 200 reception agencies.
Figures from the agricultural world
The agricultural regime currently manages around 5.4 million people, including 1.2 million active workers (a figure up slightly since 2018) and 3.4 million retirees (a number down over ten years). A sign of the difficulties facing the profession, solidarity benefits have increased fourfold in ten years.