Changes planned to the Protection Zones Law

The Ministry of Agriculture (MA) has prepared amendments to the Protection Zones Law, which provide for changing the width of the protection zone along surface water bodies, where the use of fertilizers and chemical plant protection products is prohibited.

The amendments provide for the establishment of a two-meter-wide strip along surface water bodies and a one-meter-wide strip along municipal common-use, common-use and single-property drainage ditches, which may not be cultivated and in which it is not permitted to grow agricultural crops and use fertilizers and plant protection products.

Currently, the law stipulates that plant protection products are used within the distance indicated on the label to surface water bodies. If the label does not indicate the distance to surface water bodies, the plant protection product is not allowed to be used within a 10-meter wide strip along the surface water body. The changes to the law provide for a ban on the use of any plant protection product, regardless of the label, within a two-meter wide strip along surface water bodies and a one-meter wide strip along drainage ditches.

It has already been reported that the new direct support system for farmers has entered into force. It provides for a payment for agricultural practices beneficial to the climate and the environment (“greening” payment), which includes the mandatory establishment and/or maintenance of an ecological focus area (EFA). The EFA must correspond to at least 51% of the declared arable land of the farm. One of the EFA measures that will allow farmers to implement this practice is to create a buffer zone along surface water bodies, where agricultural production will not take place.

Considering that farmers receive greening payments for the established ENP, it is planned that changes to the law will promote the designation of a buffer zone along a water body as an ecologically significant area.

More information about Amendments to the Protection Zones Law, announced at a meeting of State Secretaries on Thursday, December 10, is available on the Cabinet of Ministers' website. The changes to the law will still be considered by the government.

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Information prepared by
Victoria Kalnina,
Public Relations Specialist at the Ministry of Defense