Castilla y León Agriculture Ministry Launches Four‑Year Rural Reform Plan

Joaquín Antonio Pino, the regional minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development and Environmental Policy, presented a comprehensive programme for the XII Legislature of Castilla y León. The plan consolidates the four competencies into a single department and outlines 15 concrete commitments aimed at improving profitability, liquidity and reducing bureaucracy for farmers and ranchers. Key measures include modernising irrigation systems, strengthening animal health services, controlling wild fauna, and shaping an environmental policy that supports production while safeguarding natural resources.

The programme also addresses rising input costs, noting fertilizer prices have doubled and diesel for agriculture has risen by 75 % since 2020. It predicts a winter cereal harvest of 4.91 million tonnes, a 41.7 % decline from the previous year due to adverse weather and reduced sowed area. The proposed instruments focus on deregulation, guaranteed financing, and technical rigor, with the aim of defending the regional primary sector against European policy pressures.