Argentina: Potato growers demand participation in the debate on the soil law

The Buenos Aires Senate’s Agrarian Affairs Committee began debating a draft bill seeking to declare the "integrated care of soils and water used for agriculture, livestock, and forestry" to be of public interest, which generated strong opposition from agricultural producers and legislators.

The project, promoted by the College of Agricultural and Forestry Engineers of the Province of Buenos Aires (CIAFBA), establishes that "all individuals or legal entities engaged in agricultural and/or forestry production within the province are required to implement the necessary practices for the care of suitable soils in all situations where, due to their current condition or susceptibility to degradation, it is unavoidable to use them for production."

Guillermo Alberto Studdert, professor emeritus of the National University of Mar del Plata, defended the initiative before the commission: “Soil is a finite, limited, and nonrenewable natural resource and provides us with 95% of our food. Between 1990 and 2015, many hectares were lost due to erosion, which resulted in the loss of a large percentage of organic matter,” he noted.

Specific rejection by the Federation of Potato Producers

Following the release of the draft, the National Federation of Potato Producers and Coninagro expressed their concern, stating that the proposal "does not reflect the reality of the countryside" and questioning the legislation being passed "without understanding the reality of each region or consulting producers."

Alfredo Pereyra, president of the Federation, stated in a meeting with the Minister of Agrarian Development, Javier Rodríguez: “We know how to take care of the soil; we do it every day, because otherwise, we wouldn’t have the yields we have today. Potato crops occupy barely 1% of the land area in districts such as Azul, Tandil, Balcarce, Lobería, Necochea, General Alvarado, and General Pueyrredón, that is, approximately 30,000 hectares out of 3 million hectares. It’s exaggerated to attribute a significant environmental impact to them.”

The provincial official reaffirmed his commitment to the participatory development of public policies and emphasized: "A law of this type must be agreed upon by all stakeholders."

Producers demand to be part of the discussion

Pereyra called for the formation of a working group that includes producers, technicians, and institutions: "If something needs to be done, let’s invite us to decide. Decisions about the field can’t be made from a desk. It’s not true that we’ve depleted the land: if we used to produce 300 bags of potatoes per hectare and now we produce 3,000, we’ve actually improved the soil."

The leader maintained that the initiative is intended to raise funds: "The sad thing about this is that not only will we have to pay, but the state will also have yet another fundraising effort to collect. It’s really a fundraising effort, because no one will come to the countryside here to get their shoes dirty."

To ensure sustainability, producers certify their processes with GLOBALG.AP, a system of Good Agricultural Practices that promotes food safety, environmental sustainability, and worker well-being. Pereyra insisted: “We are aware that the soil must be cared for, because it is what we must leave to our children and grandchildren. If a law needs to be passed, it must be carefully considered.”