Organic Cantabria: meat, milk, honey and orchard

Organic agriculture groups to 94 operators of meat, milk, honey and garden products in Cantabria.

Oria presented the campaign to promote this type of production in which they have invested 40,000 euros

Santander, 30.11.2005 – The Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, Jesús Oria, presented today at a press conference of the campaign to promote organic agriculture in Cantabria.

Oria has highlighted the evolution of the Autonomous Community to "a more competitive model in the agricultural sector and a marked increase in the processing sector and marketer of organic products." Currently, there are 94 operators registered in the records of Organic Agriculture, of which 16 belong to the processing sector.

These include the following productions: 27 beef farms, featuring 750 animals, and sheep meat, 4 operations and a strength of a thousand animals. As for the milk and dairy three companies are engaged in the manufacture of fresh milk, yogurt, cheese and dairy desserts. As regards the groups, are surveyed 1,500 colonies from 11 beekeepers three packers of honey. Fruits and vegetables have an area of 92 hectares and 40 operators who market their production through packaging companies and direct sales on the farm. Also noteworthy organic production of eggs and poultry, as well as making bread, jam and coffee.

Oria has said that a recent study by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food can be deduced that "90 percent of the population identifies this product with food produced without chemical treatments and natural products that do not harm the environment". Major constraints to production are "difficult to find and that is not enough known," said the Minister of Livestock.

Given these considerations, the Ministry of Livestock has decided to conduct this campaign to inform the public of the implementation of this system in Cantabria for agricultural production and encouraging consumption of these foods. The campaign is designed for development in the region and its budget amounts to 40,000 euros. It will be held in the first fortnight of December in audiovisual media, radio, print and static media.

According to Jesús Oria, his goal is "to bring organic agriculture to the consumer who perceives the differentiated quality of its products, its distinction as logos and, finally, improve the level of consumer confidence and increasing demand."

In Cantabria, organic agriculture by Decree 102/1996 regulates in the areas of production, processing and marketing, with the growing demand of food products obtained using natural methods. Moreover, Cantabria Act 3/2000, creating the Autonomous Agency Office of Food Quality, established in accordance with the Community Regulation, as the authority and control of the agency.

The objective of this type of production is to build a model of sustainability in rural areas, implementing a respectful support activity with the environment. It offers consumers quality products obtained with the maximum guarantees of food security and a system of independent monitoring to ensure that regulatory compliance is established.

Source: Government of Canabria

About the author