The Office of Rural Affairs of the Consell de Formentera is pleased to report that last week (Thursday to Saturday, 16-18 March), Josep Marí, rural affairs councillor, accompanied Marcos Ribas and Carlos Marí, president and manager of the Cooperativa del Camp de Formentera, as well as other CCF staff, and Juan Antonio Prats, manager of the Agricultural Cooperative of Sant Antoni, on a tour of various Catalan farms employing extensive agriculture.
On this working trip the group visited farming projects like the Gallecs Consortium, which works to implement organic agriculture that preserves natural values, respects the environment, maintains and improves natural landscapes and at the same time is economically viable. The group also witnessed operations at the consortium's flour mill.
"The visits were highly enriching and allowed participants to see firsthand examples of growers who have successfully leveraged organic farming to use resources at hand and close the production cycle and thus attain economic performance while preserving the environment and helping shape a circular economy", said Councillor Marí.
The group also visited the Institute of Agri-Food Research and Technology (IRTA) to see how the IRTA experiments with alternative crops, including stone pines for pine nut harvesting, and assess whether it could be replicated on Formentera. The party also visited Pep Bover farm (Espunyola), which produces flour from the planting phase to final processing.
"The idea is to learn about the experiences of other farmers who can help us improve the sector on Formentera", affirmed Carlos Marí, who pointed up a visit to Cal Rovira (Sagàs), where the group was "struck by the case of a family that has managed to close the productive cycle of fodder, livestock and sausage". Finally, Formentera's contingent of growers learned about a rapeseed oil production project of the same family.
20 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera
The Office of Rural Environment of the Consell de Formentera is pleased to report that Wednesday 15 February marks the start of registration for the children's agriculture course. This workshop is four- to twelve-year-olds and will be held on Saturday mornings. Those interested can register in person at the Citizen Information Office (OAC) and online on the OVAC. The course will begin Saturday 25 February.
The Office of Rural Affairs of the Consell de Formentera reports that islanders with livestock must file their mandatory declaration for the livestock census by 28 February. Whether producing for profit or self-consumption, all livestock farmers on Formentera must renew their livestock cards (cartilles ramaderes).
The Office of Rural Environment of the Consell de Formentera reports that this week Josep Marí, Marcos Ribas and Carlos Marí (local rural affairs councillor and president and manager of the Formentera Countryside Cooperative [Cooperativa del Camp, CCF], respectively), as well as other CCF members, took part in a trip organised by Cooperatives Agro-alimentàries Illes Balears (CAAIB) to get a first-hand look at the work of cooperatives on Mallorca.
