The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Environment of Castilla y León, Joaquín Antonio Pino, has set as his legislative goal to end the 'artificial and harmful confrontation' between productive activity and the conservation of the natural environment.
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Environment and Environmental Policy of Castilla y León, Joaquín Antonio Pino, has put a clear objective on the table for the next four years: to end the confrontation between the primary sector and the conservation of the natural environment. In his appearance before the regional Cortes to present his action programme, Pino stated that this division is "historical, artificial and harmful".
A new approach to environmental management
Pino argued that "the natural environment must serve man, and not man serve limiting ideological abstractions". In his speech, he emphasised that farmers and ranchers are not the enemies of the ecosystem, but its "legitimate custodians". This statement marks a shift in the environmental policy of the community, which now integrates the competencies of agriculture, livestock, rural development and the environment into a single ministry.
The minister expressed pride that his department "unifies, compacts and cohesively assumes for the first time in the history of our Autonomous Community" these areas. He guaranteed management "free from ideological constraints" and with a "permanent vocation to listen, negotiate and execute".
The primary sector as a shield against depopulation
For Pino, the primary sector and the agri-food industry are the "true social and economic shields against depopulation". In his speech, he highlighted that talking about agriculture and livestock in Castilla y León is not just talking about another economic sector, but about "the management of our vast territory, the maintenance of employment, deep social cohesion, balance between provinces and food security for millions of consumers".
The minister reminded that behind every agricultural or livestock operation "there is a family and a life project that deserves stability". He also valued the role of cooperatives, agri-food industries and irrigation communities, which accumulate "a human heritage that we will not leave aside".
Defending agri-food power
Pino asserted that Castilla y León has established itself as "a major agri-food power in the European sphere" and promised to defend this status "tooth and nail". This commitment includes supporting local producers and promoting sustainable practices that do not sacrifice profitability.
For the ranchers and farmers in the region, the minister's statements provide relief amid tensions with environmental policies. From now on, the Ministry will seek to balance productivity with conservation, avoiding impositions that the sector considers "ideological". The next planned measure is the creation of a permanent dialogue table with agricultural and environmental organisations to design agreed regulations.
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