Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 20.3.2008

SZIF prepares enlargenemt of services for applicants for subsidies

State Agricultural Intervention Fund (SZIF) prepares a principal enlargement of its services for the largest group of applicants for subsidies. It will lead to increase of farmers' comfort in submitting the applications. Vilém Frček, a spokesman of SZIF, informed on it today. According to his data it will be possible to ask for subsidies on one common form of so called “unified application” with a term of submission at the latest till 15.5.2008 in frame of specified measures.

EU states will have to publish receivers of agricultural subsidies

Till the end of April next year all member states will have to publish on the internet receivers of agricultural subsidies from the EU budget. The European Commission informed on it journalists today. Czech Ministry of Agriculture already publishes the data unlike many other EU states. Particular countries will have to publish a full name of a subsidy receiver, a municipal office under which it comes, and a postcode. This measure, on which governments of member states agreed already in past, should lead to better transparency of the Common Agricultural Policy of EU.

8 reasons for drinking beer

Do you go after work for one or two (beers)? You do well. Scientist proved that beer can do your health good more than many medicines. Though bigger attention is traditionally paid to healthy contributions of wine, many researches proved that moderate beer consumption is very useful for health. Two small beers daily for a man and one small beer for a woman are ideal. Magazine Forbes listed eight reasons why drinking of beer will pay off to you.

Iodine and selenium content in milk in European countries

Owing to a supplementation of feeds content of iodine and selenium in milk is high in the Czech Republic. A substantially lower content of these trace elements is in Poland and Switzerland. An aim of study by authors Ryšavá, L., Kubačková, J. (Health Institute Ostrava), Stránský, M. (Inst. of Nutrition LF ÚK Prague) was to map the iodine and selenium content in milk in nine various European countries: CR, Slovakia, Poland, England, France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria. Iodine was set by a method ICP-MS (inductance-coupled plasma - mass spectrometry, and selenium by a method AAS (atomic absorption spectrometry).