Summary of newspaper of the previous day - 22.4.2010

Union: Wages in agricultures stay at last year´s level for the present

Agrarian trade unions failed to enforce a demanded growth of wage schedules in agriculture and related branches; they remain the same as the last year for the present. Head representatives of trade unions and the Agricultural Union of the CR confirmed it to ČTK today. However, with work productivity growth, a flexible item of wage could grow. It results from a collective agreement of a higher degree which ČTK keeps at disposal. Both sides agreed at the same time that they would return to the negotiation about tariffs in July.

Senate confirmed increase in payments to farmers by 1.5 billion crowns

National evening-up payments to farmers for this year will increase by 1.5 billion crowns and farmers could get in these payments 4.5 billion crowns in total. It is enabled by an amendment of law on Land Fund adopted by the Senate today and sent for signature of the president of republic. The novel enables to use the mentioned 1.5 billion crowns from the Fund incomes. Also, the draft brings changes in voting in a council of the Land Fund. To be quorate, it will be necessary for the council so that at least four its members meet. And to be able to make a decision, it will be newly necessary a majority of votes of all members, not only of the attendant.

Minister of Agriculture Jakub Šebesta joined celebrations of Earth Day

Today, on the occasion of the forty anniversary of the world Earth Day, the Minister of Agriculture Jakub Šebesta planted out an alley of Spanish chestnuts along a road between South-Moravian municipalities Krumvíř and Brumovice. The event was participated by mayors of both the villages and local residents. “By this action I would like to remind a significance of protection of our planet and at the same time I want to present an useful landscape element to our municipality which will help to a stabilization of local landscape”, the Minister of Agriculture Jakub Šebesta told. The alley of 31 Spanish chestnuts will be long 300 meters and will be devoted to a remembrance of local native Karel Svoboda, a headteacher of a local school and a significant folklorist of this region who was an initiator of cultural events after the World War II.

Fight for money after 2013

An idea of more than 40 billion Euro yearly expended on the Common Agricultural Policy is a red rag for many interest groups. A fight for agricultural budget has broken off fully. Basic political studies have been published. Three scenarios of development of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2020 are included in a study which had been ordered by the European Commission (Preparing for Change, contract No.: 30-CE-0200286/00-21). All three scenarios count on reduction of the budget for agriculture after 2013.