Summary of newspapers of the previous day – 21. 4. 2009

Brussels prepares changes in farmer supports in less favourable areas

The European Commission prepares changes for payment of supports to farmers in so called less favourable areas, so in areas with worse climatic conditions. At present more than 100 criteria, which moreover differ in each state, are used for judgement whether farmers can get a financial support. However, the Commission suggests newly eight criteria which should become a base of a future evaluation which will come in force in 2014. “Determination of areas with natural disadvantage for agriculture has to be rationalized and the support has to be better aimed. It is in the interest of farmers and us all, so that these areas would be farmed further and to prevent environmental damages.

Presidential conference on food research will contribute to food safety

An international conference offers the newest results of food research in favour of scientifically based preparation of legal regulations which should secure quality and healthy foods. Under the auspices of the presidency, the conference is organized on the 21.-22. April together by the Ministry of Agriculture of the CR, the Institute of Chemical Technology Prague and the European Food Safety Authority. “European citizens expect rightly a high level of security of food safety, animal health, animal welfare and plant health in frame of the European Union”.

Lesy ČR: Wood-engraver calamity endangers Czech forests

There is a threat of wood-engraver calamity in Czech forests comparable with a big calamity in the first half of 90´s of the last century. It is considered as the biggest wood-engraver disaster in the Czech Republic at all. A risk of the calamity has increased also by the fact that wood-engravers started to swarm this year at least by fortnight sooner than it is usually. ČTK was informed on it by a production-technical director of the state enterprise Lesy ČR Vladimír Krchov. The enterprise owns a half of forests in the country. Lesy ČR estimate that this years´ fight with the wood-engraver will cost about 160 million crowns. To catch the wood-engraver which is able to destroy all spruce growths, the enterprise has already cut more than 140 000 healthy trees as beetle catchers

Low milk prices force farmers to reduce cow numbers in region Klatovy

Unprofitable milk prices force farmers in the region Klatovy to rapidly decrease numbers of dairy cows. The prices decreased year-on-year as much as by 40 percents to the present roughly six crowns per liter; two crowns below production costs. Smaller farmers reduce their numbers of cowns from October; bigger businesses are going to do it. It was heard at the Monday meeting at the round table of basic-industry producers with the Ministry of Agriculture and a chairman of parliamentary committee Jiří Papež (ODS). “We will have canceled one of two cow sheds by half of the year”, a chief of Rolnické družstvo Úhlava in Dolany Josef Balín told. They will keep a half of 300 cows and they will see according to this years´ development of the market, what newt with them.