Francis Poineau is a shepherd and cheesemaker from Larrau, Basque Country, France. He owns a herd of manex red-head sheep and produces Ossau-Iraty cheese and Basque yogurts.
In 1983, he learned to make cheese during a training course in Oloron Sainte Marie and decided to process the milk instead of selling it to the Chaumes dairy. In 1986, he acquired a share of a cayolar in Ardakotxea in Larrau, where he remained a shepherd until his retirement in 2022.
In 1990, he joined forces with a farmer from Moncayolle to reduce their respective workloads. At the same time, he became involved in the AOC Ossau-Iraty and the Confédération Paysanne, of which he was the national secretary from 1997 to 2002.
Having started his career with 120 sheep, he retired with a flock of 140 animals.
His succession is now ensured by another landless shepherd like him.
Poineau is also the Co-President of the Alternative Chamber of Agriculture EHLG (Euskal Herriko Laborantza Ganbara).
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