News about national resources en Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:38:40 +0200 Fri, 3 May 2013 16:23:26 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news.html http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/130102_organisaatio_en.html The organisation structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was revised as from 1 January 2013. Instead of the earlier five departments and four special units, the Ministry now has three departments: Food Department, Natural Resources Department, and Administration and Planning Department. Wed, 2 Jan 2013 14:09:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/121205_facce_strategy.html The Strategic Research Agenda of the Joint Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE – JPI)sets out the strategic priorities for trans-disciplinary and innovative European research on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change and provides a framework for the alignment of existing programmes and joint research efforts to achieve the twin objectives of food security and combating climate change. Wed, 5 Dec 2012 13:56:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/120913_new_organic_farms.html A total of 365 farms were registered in the organic production control system, more than in any other year during the 2000's. This year, over 113 livestock farms have already joined the control system for organic farming, nudging the number of new entries in the three preceding years put together. There are now about 4,300 organic farmers in Finland. Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:18:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/120531_maisema_eng.html Landscape values should be taken better into account in the planning and implementation of timber production measures. A project to be completed this year aims to improve the landscape management expertise of forest professionals. Thu, 31 May 2012 13:23:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/120411_FACCE.html FACCE - JPI announced the approval for funding of its first joint action. This action brings together 67 research groups from 17 countries and aims to improve the characterisation of European food security due to climate change and to enhance adaptation capacity through improvements in modeling of impacts of climate change. This ambitious project has estimated total costs of around 15 million €. Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:07:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/120190_seleeni_en.html According to the most recent report of the Selenium Working Group coordinated by the Agrifood Research Finland MTT, the selenium intake among the Finns is at a sufficient level. This is due to the supplementation of fertilisers with selenium, which increases the selenium content in domestic feedingstuffs and foods to the target level. The results presented in the report show that selenium fertilisation is an efficient and safe way to secure sufficient selenium intake at a reasonable cost. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:06:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/120116_embed_maps.html Through the geoportal Paikkatietoikkuna, anyone may embed maps on their own websites free of charge. The contents and functions of embedded maps are easy to customise. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:14:55 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/120103_topographic_datasets.html The Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry issued a decree on 21 December 2011 on the fees of the National Land Survey of Finland (NLS). The decree prescribes that the NLS will open its topographic datasets to the public on 1 May 2012 to be used freely and free of charge. Tue, 3 Jan 2012 09:46:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/111004_productionanduseofgrains3billionkilograms_en.html The grain crop in 2010, 3 billion kilograms, was about a third smaller than in 2009. The harvests of wheat and oats exceeded domestic consumption, while in barley production the situation is the opposite. All grain stocks were reduced; mainly barley, as a result of diminishing production and growing exports. Tue, 4 Oct 2011 14:03:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/110912_grousehuntingseasonbegins.html The grouse hunting season got started in Finland on Saturday 10 September. Because of the weak populations in certain regions, a Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry prohibits the hunting of capercaillie in certain parts of south-western Finland while, besides southern Finland, willow grouse may not be hunted in Central Finland, North Ostrobothnia and southern parts of Kainuu. Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:51:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/110726_satonakymat_en.html With an estimated 3.5 billion kilograms, this year’s grain crops will be considerably better than last year’s, although it will not reach 2009’s yield (4.1 billion kilograms). There will be an approximate 30 per cent drop from last year’s record-breaking turnip rape crop. Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:58:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/110622_Koskinen_en.html The President of the Republic of Finland has appointed Mr Jari Koskinen (National Coalition Party) as the new Finnish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. Jari Koskinen comes from Häme in South-Central Finland. Farmer, Master of Political Science Koskinen was the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in 2002-2003 in the second Cabinet of Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:13:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/110414_kalastuskomissaari.html The topics discussed during the visit of Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki in Finland on 10–11 March 2011 included the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and rules of the European Fisheries Fund for the next programming period, as well as the development of aquaculture and small-scale coastal fisheries. Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:25:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/110401_tukes_eng.html Plant protection product risk assessment, authorisation and control duties transferred from the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira to the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) as of 1 January 2011. Tue, 4 Jan 2011 14:13:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/101221_pikkulinnut_eng.html Winter has truly arrived in Finland and the winter feeding of birds is under way. Supplementary food is necessary for many small passerine birds wintering here. As the winter wears on, more and more small birds are forced to rely on food from bird tables. However, infectious diseases can also spread through large flocks. Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:19:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/100907_drought.html According to the second preliminary crop estimate from Tike, the grain crops will shrink to 2.9 billion kilograms. In mid-July, the crop estimate was slightly higher, approximately 3.1 billion kilograms. The reduced area of land used for grain and the low harvest yield decrease the grain crops by a third from 2009, and the grain harvest will be the smallest in a decade. Tue, 7 Sep 2010 09:30:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/100730_maito_en.html The Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira and Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance have agreed on measures enabling the exports of Finnish dairy and meat products to Russia to continue. Export restrictions on Finnish dairy products will be lifted as of 6 August 2010. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:58:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/100728_kolorado_en.html So far, no observations of Colorado beetles have been reported to the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira this year. The plant protection inspectors of Evira and the ELY Centres are carrying out inspections in potato fields in southern and eastern Finland. It is of prime importance that potato-growers and home gardeners actively check their potato crops for Colorado beetles and that they report any findings immediately to the plant protection authorities. Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:57:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/100716_ciolos_en.html During his visit to Finland Dacian Cioloş, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, stressed that preconditions for agriculture must be secured in all parts of Europe. The diversity and differences between the regions must be taken into account in the upcoming reform of the common agricultural policy. Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:51:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/100510_luomu_en.html Organic production is controlled to ensure that organic products truly are organic and the consumer can trust them. This objective has also been achieved. No non-conforming product batches have reached the market. Mon, 10 May 2010 14:51:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/100422_elintarvike_saksa.html The German-Finnish Chamber of Commerce has launched a three-year promotion project concerning exports of Finnish foodstuffs to Germany. One of the two export rings to be set up is focused on the export of conventional foods and the other on organic products. The aim is to involve four to six enterprises interested in exports to Germany in both rings. Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:54:00 +0300 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/5nmRl7X6b.html The Finnish authorities are taking very seriously accusations of poor treatment of animals on Finnish fur farms. The regional state authorities for the protection of animals have immediately begun inspections on farms where cases of neglect are suspected. Recent statistics on the regular official monitoring of fur farms show that the conditions in which animals are kept on Finnish fur farms meet the requirements under European and national legislation. Cases of neglect in 2009 were observed on only two farms out of the 49 inspected. Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:38:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/100204_kemialliset_eng.html ”The chemical contaminants of foodstuffs and household water” is a thorough report of about 40 contaminants, which cover in a comprehensive manner the entire production chain of foodstuffs. The renewed report has been published in the publication series of Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira and can also be read in the Evira.fi web service. Thu, 4 Feb 2010 13:44:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/100120_kananhakit_eng.html The rearing of laying hens in unenriched cages will be prohibited in the member countries of the EU as of 1 January 2012. Regulations pertaining to the protection of laying hens have provided a transition period of almost 12 years, which will end on 31 December 2011. Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:34:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/091116_foodsecurity.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:24:00 +0200 http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/administrative_sector/news/090611_greyseal.html The estimated seal count for grey seals living in the Baltic Sea was slightly more than 22,300 in 2008. This estimation is based on annual spring grey seal counts carried out by Sweden, Finland, Russia and Estonia. The Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute is responsible for counts carried out in Finnish sea waters. Fri, 6 Nov 2009 14:30:00 +0200