On February 28, the Farmers' Saeima Congress will discuss the next 7 years

28. The annual congress of the association "Farmers' Council" will take place at Bulduri Horticultural Secondary School in February, bringing together farmers from all over Latvia. This year, the most important topics of discussion will be the future Common Agricultural Policy, payment ceilings, and the development of agriculture in Latvia.

At the congress, the board of the "Farmers' Parliament" will report on the achievements in 2019 and present the work program for 2020, as well as inform about current events in the agricultural sector. Minister of Agriculture Kaspars Gerhards and Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš will address those present at the congress, while Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Pārsla Rigonda Krieviņa will introduce current events in the Common Agricultural Policy planned after 2020.

ZSA Board Chairman Juris Lazdiņš: “The annual congress of the Farmers' Council is the most important event of the year for farmers, where we look back on the work done and set future goals. Unlike other years, Latvian farmers are currently facing great challenges, as we need to find a way to cooperate with the new government, which has a new approach to agriculture and tax policy. Also, one of the biggest challenges is to find a way to reduce the pressure of “green” activists on farmers and their reputation, so that we can continue our work and make plans for the next 7 years. The new Common Agricultural Policy is also important at the moment, as it will determine what EU funding farmers will receive and what rules they will have to follow.”

Deputy Chairwoman of the Board of the Latvian Association of Steelworkers Maira Dzelzkalēja-Burmistre: "We are proud of every member of the "Farmers' Parliament" who works and develops, and we are also proud that Latvian farmers, together with the experts of the Farmers' Parliament, are working intensively both in Riga and in Brussels, fighting for the positions of Latvian farmers in the next planning period. The European Commission's offer for the next seven years is unacceptable to Latvian farmers, so we will continue the fight for equal and fair European support."

In the second part of the congress, the Head of the Financial and Capital Market Commission, Santa Purgaile, will inform about global financial changes and their impact on the development of Latvian agriculture, as well as a discussion panel “Farmer and financiers – points of contact and main challenges”, which will be attended by representatives from the Financial and Capital Market Commission, AS “SEB banka”, AS “Swedbank”, AS “Attīstības finanšu institutīcija Altum”.

Congress venue: Bulduri Gardening Secondary School, Viestura Street 6, Jurmala. Start at 10:00, arrival and registration from 09:30.

The Farmers' Parliament Congress will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Member registration will begin at 9:30.

Representatives of the mass media are also invited to participate in the congress.