The Asturian Rural Union (URA) has reiterated this Friday, through a press release, its support for the Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) Cabrales and has described the implementation of the planned biogas plant in Arenas de Cabrales as "essential," considering it decisive for ensuring the continuity of livestock farming and cheese production in the municipality.
The agrarian organization emphasizes that this plant cannot be approached as a secondary issue nor exclusively linked to the environment, as the management of the whey from the cheese factories and the manure generated in the farms has become one of the main obstacles to maintaining production. URA stresses that, currently, there are not enough alternatives to solve this problem without compromising the viability of productive activity.
For this reason, the entity believes that the biogas plant should be regarded as a strategic infrastructure for the future of the municipality, as it offers a real solution to a problem that directly conditions the survival of a sector that is an essential part of its identity. It also reminds that Cabrales does not sustain itself solely thanks to tourism, but also through its livestock and cheese, which are the pillars on which the tourist appeal of the area has largely been built.
In this regard, URA warns that it is inconsistent to try to preserve the landscape, culture, and identity of Cabrales while putting obstacles in the way of those who keep the territory alive, insisting that without livestock farmers and cheesemakers there will be no cheese or Cabrales as it is known today. Therefore, it calls on all administrations with competencies to act responsibly and facilitate the execution of the project, seeking the necessary administrative, technical, and environmental solutions.
Finally, the Asturian Rural Union emphasizes that supporting this infrastructure is equivalent to defending the livestock farmer, the cheesemaker, the product, and the economic and social future of the municipality. The organization states that it will continue to support the DOP Cabrales and the producers, while also continuing to demand measures that guarantee the continuity of an activity that generates wealth, sustains the rural environment, and is part of the heritage of Asturias.