UCAMAN proposes actions in the Strategic Plan for organic agriculture

The Ministry of Agriculture collected the proposals for cooperatives at the last meeting in which the Plan was adopted.

The Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Castilla-La Mancha ( UCAM ) welcomes the fact that for the first time a specific reflection on organic production in the region is carried out and basically coincides with the diagnosis that reflects the draft Strategic Plan, prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, in which the need to implement improvement actions in the areas of production, processing, marketing, consumer information, industry structuring and organization of the Ministry itself in its proceedings relating to the detected organic agriculture.

Similarly, UCAMAN expects this Plan receives a major boost by the government, according to the importance of this mode, it can be productive in our region, as needed to enhance and differentiate their food products.

At its meeting on 5th November Joseph Morata and Jose Luis Rojas were there, spokesman and director of organic agriculture UCAMAN respectively, have talked to the Ministry responsible for his disappointment at the delay in processing, after almost three years since work began , and the limited opportunities for participation in the sector and the non-involvement of other agencies whose actions directly affect organic production, as the Ministries of Environment and Rural Development, Health, Education and public research centers .

Proposals of UCAMAN

UCAMAN also proposed to quantify the objectives to be achieved; the developers define the actions, the establishment of monitoring indicators to assess the degree of achievement of objectives and a new articulation of the actions around four strategic axes production, processing and marketing, consumer support and tools needed.

In order to avoid delaying the approval of the Governing Council, UCAMAN has accepted address all these issues in the Committee of Organic Agriculture that will soon establish as an organ of involvement of key industry players.

UCAMAN welcomes the acceptance by the Council of an old demand of the organic production sector, as is the designation of a single body for organic production in the Ministry, against whom the responsibility of having an overview of the actions of development , providing them with the necessary cohesion, especially after they start the development of the Strategic Plan. The General Director Food of Markets Federico López, present at the meeting, will be responsible.

UCAMAN also claimed, among other things : improving organic agriculture, equating to Andalusia, avoiding comparative grievances and implementation of agri-environmental aid to organic agriculture so far nonexistent, the development of an ambitious promotion plan and helps to improve the marketing of organic products and approach to consumers, the need for training to be comprehensive in nature , so it is intended for the different groups involved: farmers, technicians, governing councils, business, consumers, etc. and homogenization of inspection criteria and control by certification bodies.