Summary of newspapers of the previous day - 7. 10. 2008

Gandalovič: Position of European farmers on world market should be stronger thanks to reform

The Minister of Agriculture Petr Gandalovič in today´s speech for members of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee of the European Parliament emphasized the necessity to use a checkup of functionality of the Common Agrarian Policy to strengthening a position of European farmers on the world market. He also mentioned that agriculture is inseparably connected with development of rural areas and with a care of the landscape. The minister promised to support the present French presidency of the European Union, after which the baton will be took over by the Czech Republic, in achievement of an ambitious and really constructive political agreement over a closely watched Health Check, so the checkup of functionality of the Common Agrarian Policy.

SZIF started to accept applications for subsidies from Rural Development Program

The State Agricultural Intervention Fund (SZIF) by means of its regional departments in Hradec Králové, Prague, České Budějovice, Ústí nad Labem, Brno, Olomouc and Opava started today to accept application not only from farmers but also municipalities for subsidies in frame of the fifth round of the Rural Development Program. The reception of application will last till the 27th of October 2008 to 13 o´clock. Especially it is dealt with subsidies for investment in forests, land adjustment, education and information, civic facilities and services, renewal and development of villages, and last but not least the protection and development of cultural heritage of the countryside.

Vaccination against BT according plan

More than 80% of ruminants have been vaccinated against catarrhal sheep fever (bluetongue) by Friday the 3rd of October. It means almost million hundred thousands cows; further also 154 thousand sheep and 17 thousand goats. The animals which were vaccinated against the catarrhal sheep fever among the first are already now revaccinated. Already over 316 thousand cows, more than 35 thousand sheep and 3,5 thousand goats have been already revaccinated to achieve immunity. Shortly, all runs according to a plan. Next year we are going to vaccinate again against the catarrhal sheep fever the same as in other member EU states.

GM-wheat with lowest glycaemic index

Bread from GM-wheat with resistant starches, which would get less energy, could help against obesity. Researches from the State Institute for Agricultural Crops in Cambridge developed a GM form of wheat with increased content of resistant starches (a higher share of linear amylosis) which degrades worse in human stomach. The scientists from Cambridge cooperate obviously with Australian researchers and in principle it is obviously dealt with RNA which results in slowing down or stopping the production of enzymes sharing in embranchment of the amylopectin molecule. It could result in satiety because of full stomach, however, with a lower supply of energy which could help against obesity.