The set of proposals called the Agricultural Dozen received general support for their aims, while also inviting clearer definitions. Farmers voiced concerns about the medium and long-term direction of Polish agriculture and urged every political party to consider their positions seriously, according to a presidential adviser quoted by PAP.
“Agricultural Dozen”
The Agricultural Dozen was drafted by Poland’s two largest farming unions, OPZZ Farmers and Agricultural Organizations and NSZZ Individual Farmers Solidarity. The list includes opposition to restricting meat and animal products production and to limiting farm animal breeding within Poland. It also raises concerns about bans on slaughter for religious purposes.
Former Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski, who held the post from 2018 to 2020, viewed the proposals as reasonable but in need of clarification.
While some points read more like slogans, that does not hinder their usefulness; clarifications can be added during the legislative process.
– he noted.
The adviser highlighted that farmers worry not only about immediate challenges but also about the future of farming.
They stressed the need for stability and predictability in Polish agricultural production and economic conditions. In response, the communities outlined the twelve most important guidelines shaping the sector’s future in Poland, according to the president’s adviser.
“Many farms are stuck.”
Ardanowski explained that the proposals cover several areas.
First, farmers seek stable access to credit with reliable loan terms. The objective is to develop mechanisms that ease debt burdens, given that numerous farms face financial strain and struggle to service their loans.
They also seek guarantees for agricultural production in rural areas to prevent immediate contractions in farming activity.
Ardanowski noted that increasing investment in scientific research, supporting new technologies, and funding innovative agricultural solutions are crucial steps for staying competitive in a global market.
– he assessed.
Another key demand is the prevention of importing food products that fail to meet European Union standards, a point that appears straightforward to most observers.
– added.
A further set of demands aims to ensure the safety and continuity of livestock farming in Poland, especially in the context of possible changes to the Common Agricultural Policy and potential new EU requirements.
– said the president’s adviser.
Ideology and animal breeding
He stressed that farmers want animal breeding not to be endangered by ideological considerations.
The list also includes preserving the slaughter of animals for religious rites because the beef market in Poland has strong opportunities in Muslim countries, which are important export destinations.
– he explained.
He added a warning against proposals from pseudo ecological groups that claim to defend animals while encroaching on property rights or attempting to remove animals from farms under the pretext of improving welfare. Such actions, he argued, would be inappropriate and dangerous for farm families.
– he said. He underlined that state institutions should be the sole authorities responsible for enforcement and oversight.
According to Ardanowski, representatives from all major political parties should sign the demands. The ruling party PiS has signed them, as has PSL MP Marek Sawicki, but there were hopes that representatives from KO and Left would join as well, though that outcome remained uncertain.
– he concluded.
Inquiries and commentary on the topic continued, with multiple voices urging a broad parliamentary consensus on the agricultural program and its twelve core points to guide Poland’s farming sector in the coming years.
Source: wPolityce