The Formentera Office of Agriculture is pleased to present its most recent catalogue of training courses in agriculture and livestock: five courses to take shape between October and December 2022. Registration is now open at the Citizen Information Office (Oficina d'Atenció a la Ciutadania, OAC) and online through the Virtual Citizen Information Office (OVAC).

Councillor Josep Marí explained, "To meet demand from the agricultural and livestock sector we have prepared a range of vocational training courses to be held here on Formentera and free of charge". See below for the full course offering.

Basic-level professional use of plant protection products. 17-22 October 2022 (25 h)

Basic-level use of plant protection products (complementary). 24-25 October 2022 (7 h)

Professional use of plant protection products (bridge course: basic-qualified). 2-11 November 2022 (35 h)

Closed-loop production: cereals, sheep, fodder and local crop varieties. 1-2 December 2022 (10 h)

Organic livestock farming: safe handling guidelines. To be confirmed (4 h)

7 October 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Rural Affairs is pleased to report that bids for the sale of industrial machinery to extract olive oil at the future oil mill will be accepted until 17 October. The bid price is €269,000 and the execution period, once awarded, is nine months.

Josep Marí, councillor of rural affairs, voiced his satisfaction at the news, affirming, "This is the only remaining administrative step before the project is finalised, and local oil production is pivotal".

Tragsa has been tapped for construction of the industrial space where the oil mill will be located (behind the Cooperativa del Camp warehouse). According to Councillor Marí, the company is currently "completing the final steps before work can begin".

The building will have a surface area of 115 m², in addition to a separate receiving area for olives. Building plans include rooms for olive washing and oil extraction, an oil storage and packaging area, changing room and toilet. The project will cost approximately €200,000.

Construction of a health code-compliant mill is a key step in creating and marketing a brand of locally made olive oil, something which, Councillor Marí hopes, "will deliver a fresh impulse to the island's agricultural sector".

6 October 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Rural Affairs has launched "De Formentera amb molt de gust", a campaign to elevate and encourage the sale of local products. "The aim is to showcase and celebrate goods from Formentera's fields, sea and livestock farms, as well as other items which are processed on the island like xeixa flour, sobrassada sausage and wine", explained Ana Juan, president and councillor of commerce.

Added Josep Marí, councillor of rural affairs, "To increase the campaign's visibility and ensure that residents and visitors can identify and appreciate locally sourced products, the campaign slogan has been paired with illustrations of various local products and an attractive design to highlight the locations of growers and retailers".

Alejandra Ferrer, vice president and councillor of tourism, pointed out that the Formentera Office of Tourism (Conselleria de Turisme, CTF) has reissued and updated the Formentera Slow Food map, which highlights where local products are made and sold.

Catalan, Spanish and English versions of the map available at www.conselldeformentera.cat and the CTF website "so that residents and visitors know where to find made-on-Formentera items".

This campaign will be publicised on Consell de Formentera notice boards and at tourist information points. Retailers will additionally distribute raffia bags and cardboard boxes emblazoned with De Formentera amb molt de gust. (The slogan translates as both "From Formentera with loads of flavour" and "From Formentera with pleasure".) A total of 2,000 large 10-kg boxes (48cm x 32cm x 18cm), 4,000 smaller 5-kg boxes (39cm x 29cm x 14cm) and 3,000 raffia bags have been prepared. The Balearic Division of Food Sovereignty Policies has collaborated with the campaign to the tune of €5,000.

12 August 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Rural Affairs hunting service has agreed to authorise island hunters to help control species and protect local crops. On Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 15 May to 9 October, hunters affiliated with local hunting reserves may hunt wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) in designated areas from 7.30am to 11.30am and 5.30pm to 9.00pm.

The aim of the authorisation, said Josep Marí, Councillor of Rural Affairs, is to protect crops potentially affected by a species that has proliferated on Formentera in recent years. This action is part of Consell de Formentera policy of recovering the countryside and controlling pests that pose a threat to agriculture on our island.

16 May 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera