AZORES | António Ventura praises approval of project for new Soil Monitoring Law in Brussels

The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, António Ventura, welcomed the approval of the draft opinion on the Soil Monitoring Law by the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. It protects Azorean farmers from the new law, which previously provided for more burdens and bureaucracy for professionals in the sector. 

PSD MEP José Manuel Fernandes, the main negotiator for the European People’s Party, has managed to secure approval for the integration of the Outermost Regions, such as the Azores, into the network of 100 living laboratories and rural reference structures for soil protection.

Adequate soil governance has also been ensured, with the use of additional funding, proposing a soil unit per island in the case of an archipelago such as the Azores.

According to António Ventura, “soil in the Azores is an element of sustainability, supporting the excellence of agrifood products.”

He continued: “Agricultural practices in the Azores respect the soil as a gestational asset in agrifood production.”

For the government official, “soil in the Azores is a source of confidence and a guarantee of the sustainability of agricultural production.”

“We have soil-oriented policies that secure the availability of agricultural production,” he said.

The draft opinion that has now been approved will be discussed by the Committee on the Environment and Public Health. The final document is expected to be approved by the European Parliament at its mini-plenary session in April.

GRA/RÁDIOILHÉU