The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food of the Government of Aragon, Arancha Simón, has defended this Monday before the Cortes of Aragon Commission the draft budget for her Department for 2027, which amounts to 718.7 million euros. She has insisted on the need to "facilitate procedures" for professionals in the farming and livestock sector.
To move forward with agricultural and livestock holdings "profitability is needed, security to invest, and an Administration that makes things easier, and that is called management," Simón emphasized, noting that the budget for the next fiscal year grows by 3% compared with that of 2024.
Of the total amount, 128.7 million come from the Government of Aragon's own resources, which represents 12% more than in the last approved regional contribution. "This is a considerable figure, or at least we consider it so."
"A large part of these resources corresponds to the management of the common agricultural policy; specifically, the FEAGA funds reach 489 million euros, compared with the 452.8 contemplated in that 2024 budget, those are 36," she specified, pointing to an increase of 8%, to which are added 65.3 million euros from the FEADER funds.
The main volume of these resources is channeled through the Directorate General of Agricultural Production, which will manage 494 million euros, of which 18.2 million are own funds. Within this allocation, the most relevant item corresponds to the CAP, which totals 455.6 million, above the 426 million of 2024. Likewise, 20.5 million euros are reserved for agri-environmental measures and 821,000 euros for the Beekeeping Programme.
"Our responsibility is to manage those funds correctly and ensure that they reach their intended recipients with the highest guarantees and within the established deadlines."
The regional official has ruled out proposing a "general approach" for all holdings, considering that "they do not work under the same conditions a rainfed cereal grower in Cinco Villas as a fruit grower in the Bajo Cinca."
The Technical General Secretariat will have 18.1 million euros at its disposal, of which 15.9 million are own resources. Within this amount, 5.1 million are allocated to modernize administrative services and information systems.
"We want to move toward a more agile Administration, one that makes procedures easier and improves the management and payment of aid because farmers and livestock breeders already carry enough burden of obligations and bureaucracy. Our responsibility is to make their lives easier, not to add more difficulties—when they already have plenty".
Compensation fund in the face of community rules
After admitting that in numerous areas the Administration is "obsolete", it has detailed that the Department includes a three million euro allocation in the accounts for a compensation fund against "especially burdensome" community regulations, understanding that "obligations have to be proportionate and must take into account the economic reality of the farms", so that "when it generates especially burdensome costs, Administrations cannot simply look the other way".
"We are willing to begin addressing the cost of these certain regulatory impositions that are passed on to our farmers and our livestock breeders," Arancha Simón has stated.
These three million are assigned to the General Directorate of Rural Development, whose budget amounts to 116.7 million euros, with 53.5 million in own resources. Among the most relevant lines is that intended for the modernization of agricultural holdings, with 14.9 million euros in 2027, of which 8.5 million are own funds, which implies an increase of 41.8% compared to 2024. An allocation of 13.6 million euros is added for the incorporation of young farmers, with 7.7 million euros from own funds.
Commitment to family farming and irrigation
"Family farming has enormous importance in Aragon, that nobody disputes, but the best way to defend it is to ensure that these families can continue living off their holdings, that they can invest, that they can grow when necessary, and that they find opportunities for their children to continue the activity, if they wish it themselves".
Simón continued breaking down the figures and pointed out that 10 million euros will be allocated to the modernization of irrigation systems and 6.1 million euros to the creation of new irrigation systems, of which 5.1 million come from own resources. "We have pending works and actions that require continuity, and we need all the Administrations involved to assume their responsibilities".
Another outstanding line is that of agricultural insurance, which will be allocated 13 million euros, compared with 11.9 million in 2024, which represents an increase of 9.4%. In addition, a funding item of 600,000 euros is enabled to protect livestock against attacks by the bear and the wolf. For its part, the Directorate of Quality and Food Safety will manage 21.7 million euros, of which 18.6 million are own funds of the regional Executive.
The General Directorate of Innovation and Agrofood Promotion will have a total budget of 67.8 million euros, with 22.4 million in own resources, "because if we are talking about the future for agriculture and livestock in Aragon we have to talk about transformation, commercialization and the ability to compete". In 2024 it had 58.4 million, which translates into an increase of 16%.
In this area, 18.6 million euros will be invested to strengthen the competitiveness of the agrofood industry, with specific allocations, among others, for fruits and vegetables and for the wine-growing and winemaking sector.