Members of the monitoring commission for the Balearic Islands “PDR”—the Progama de Desenvolupment Rural, or “Rural Development Programme”—for 2014-2020 gathered today in the plenary hall of the Formentera Council. The event was attended by Bartomeu Escandell, the Council president's office chief and rural affairs councillor; Mateu Ginard, the agriculture and livestock minister of the Govern balear; spokespeople from the European Commission; the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Food and Govern de les Illes Balears; and industry representatives.

On the day's agenda was a proposed increase of the PDR budget with €155 million from the Sustainable Tourism Levy (Impost de Turisme Sostenible), though Ginard indicated that the figure could reach €167 million by 2020. Attendees took a look back at some of the programme's successes as of December 2018, including assistance payouts of more than €47 million to rural families that practice traditional agriculture. That figure is expected to hit €72 million by year end.

Councillor Escandell said he welcomed the opportunity to host the island's first PDR gathering, and indicated that key projects for the island's primary sector would benefit from the plan. “In recent years Formentera has been leading with primary sector revitalisation efforts”, he intoned, “and the role of PDR funding in those has been essential”.

Money for young agricultural workers, for the Cooperativa del Camp, to rebuild drystone walls, to activate the irrigation pond, plus door-to-door organic composting pick-up, has come thanks to the support of the EU's Leader fund.

The decision to decentralise the annual encounters, historically celebrated on Mallorca, was made at the start of the legislative session in an effort to show the ministry and the European Commission some of the effects of “insularity” (a process whose real impact is often doubled or even tripled) on the Balearic primary sector. In the last two years, PDR meetings have been held on Mallorca, Menorca and Eivissa.

Compensation for the knock-on effects of insularity happen to be at the heart of the islands' biggest appeal in talks over the 2021-2027 Common Agrarian Policy (CAP). Acting minister of agriculture Luis Planas said on a May 7 stop in Palma—his last official visit to the islands—that he shared the viewpoint of the Balearic administrations on this point. 

May 15, 2019
Àrea de Comunicació
Formentera Council

CiF president Jaume Ferrer and Alfonso Ferrer, chairman of the island's “Stockbreeders' Association” (Associació de Ramaders) signed a collaborative agreement to support local farmers around issues of animal health and improving systems of production in 2019.

The Formentera Council will provide €37,000 to finance activities that the association programmes to enhance livestock production and encourage animal health. In turn, in addition to supporting the Council on the two above-mentioned issues, the group pledges assistance on any other matters concerning animal welfare and identification of animals on Agrupació de Defensa Sanitària member farms, plus carry out health-related work agreed upon as part of the yearly “Common Health Programme” (Programa Sanitari comú). The association will also continue educating its member farmers on essential measures at individual farms. The partnership comes up for review once a year.

April 8, 2019
Àrea de Comunicació
Formentera Council

La Cooperativa del Camp de Formentera, the local agricultural co-operative, hosted a lunch yesterday, Sunday March 17, for their members and families and friends. All told, 425 showed up at the industrial space of the “Co-op” to enjoy an Es Forn-prepared arròs de matances and an array of signature local fare like wine, treats and café caleta.

Music at the gathering was provided by Aires Formenterencs, whom the Co-op bequeathed with three local roosters in a nod to the group's thirtieth anniversary together. Operations manager Carlos Marí welcomed Co-op members and families in attendance and thanked them for their support. CiF president Jaume Ferrer, tax office and rural affairs councillor Bartomeu Escandell and provincial rep Sílvia Tur were also on hand for the event.

Members
On Friday, March 15 Cooperativa del Camp members gathered to communicate year-on-year numbers to members at the group's general assembly. A presentation of efforts and initiatives over the last year was conducted for the 310 members in attendance.

Consell de Formentera
Àrea de Comunicació
18 de març de 2019

Yesterday at 8.00pm in la Mola's Casa del Poble, CiF presidency, tax office and rural affairs councillor Bartomeu Escandell was joined by Joan Mercant and Toni Garau, Palma's director and head of fishing, in shining light on the operating model and other details behind the new Punta de sa Creu marine reserve.

The meeting was essentially geared for residents of la Mola and es Caló, who account for the fishing site's most frequent users. The gathering was islanders' chance to hear about management of the reserve and how changes will affect professional and recreational fishermen in the area.

Formentera Council
Àrea de Comunicació
March 15, 2019