Summary of newspapers of the previous day – 23.6. 2011

Increase in number of botulism in cattle and sheep in Great Britain

According to British scientists, a risk factor influencing the occurrence of botulism in cattle is a contact of animals with a poultry litter. Analogous to Germany, also British scientists recorded a significant increase of botulism in cattle and sheep on the Great Britain territory. In an editorial of scientific journal Veterinary Record scientists from Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute with the seat in Belfast discussed about a mutual relation between the occurrence of botulism cases in cattle and the poultry litter from an epidemiological point of view.

Climatic changes will influence irrigation of agricultural areas

Climatic changes in next decades will significantly influence the amount of water needed for food production and thereby also the agriculture productivity. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UNU came to this conclusion in its report “Climatic changes, water and food safety”. In the report it is stated that both the inflow in water courses and the creation of underground waters will decrease in the Meditteranean area and in half-dry areas of America, Australia and in the south of Africa. Just these areas suffer from a lack of water already now.

Ministry of Agriculture wants to help fruit-growers and vine-growers damaged by spring frosts

The Ministry of Agriculture wants at least partially to compensate loses to fruit-growers and vine-growers caused by frosts in May. It plans to gross up subsidies in the framework of programmes for orchards restructuring and for purchase of drop irrigation by 30 million crowns. Other help can be represented by a postponement of part payments in the programmes Farmer and Land. The frost at the beginning of May affected the most Bohemia. According to estimations they caused damages in vineyards and orchards of as many as 560 million crowns.

European Parliament negotiates about future of EU Common Agricultural Policy

A so called Dess report about a future of the Common Agricultural Policy is negotiated by the European Parliament in these days. Most of parliamentary proposals is suitable for the Czech Republic and we support it unambiguously the CAP reform. However, a part of the report is also for us a burning capping of agricultural subsidies and requirements of older members states for other transitive periods for evening-up of direct payments. In accordance with attitudes towards the CAP reform enforced for the long time the Ministry of Agriculture together with non-governmental organizations shared in a preparation of amendment against capping and provided Euro-representatives with an attitude towards the report and all amendments.