Summary of newsmakers of the previous days – 21.- 23.4.2006

Numbers of cattle in Germany still decreases

The numbers has decreased by a fifth since 1995; there are especially few dairy cows. A brief review of development of number of cattle in last period. In German stables for cattle in last year more space was made again. For many years monitored process of cattle herds fall still continues in undiminished rate. In November census of population in 2005 statistics found out already only the number of 12,83 million pieces of animals.

Farmers will get higher subsidies for insurance

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Subsidiary and Guarantee Rural and Forestry Fund made a decision that agricultural enterprises and entrepreneurs who protect their property by insurance will get a state subsidy in height of 20 % from a paid premium for an insurance of animals for case of infections and other mass damages and 35 % from a premium for an insurance of field crops. Growers of some special crops, for example fruit, vegetable, grapevine and hops will save on premium even a half this year.

Ecologists blame the EU for doubled attitude towards GMO

The fore world ecologic movement Greenpeace and Friends of Earth blamed the European Union for hypocrisy yesterday. While in front of European consumers the Commission says that genetically modified foods are unobjectionable, in front of the WTO it admits certain risks, ecologists assert. A reason for the accusation is a report which the European Commission sent to the World Trade Organization (WTO) which criticizes the EU that it applies a limitation for import of GMO (especially from the United States) which is in contradiction with riles of the world trade. The European Union imposed a moratorium for import of these foods in 1998.

Minister Mládek wants to enforce limitation of import in two till four weeks

In two till four weeks the Czech Republic should enforce in the European Union a limitation of dumping imports of chicken meat from countries where fears of bird flue burst out. Thanks to it in the CR the present production of poultry meat should maintain and breeders and processors should not fall in losses.

Source: Agris, 22.04.2006