Russia (bbabo.net), - Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko set the task for senators and members of the government to agree on a draft law on the use of manure as a natural fertilizer within a week.

The topic was raised by Anatoly Artamonov, head of the budget committee, during the "government hour" with the Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Alexander Kozlov. According to the senator, legislation in the field of nature protection classifies manure as waste, which does not allow the product to be used in agricultural circulation. Moreover, companies face millions and even billions of dollars in fines for improper handling of manure.

A working group under the Federation Council has developed a bill that proposes to enact special regulation on animal waste, Artamonov said. If such a law is passed, producers will be able to use natural fertilizers and save on mineral fertilizers that are becoming more expensive, he stressed. The senator asked the Ministry of Natural Resources to assist in the speedy approval of the law.

Matvienko supported her colleague. She recalled that she received appeals from a dozen and a half governors who fear that the sanctions of Rosprirodnadzor for the misuse of manure could kill agriculture.

"The main thing we have on the topic is the Ministry of Agriculture, let's make a decision," the head of the Ministry of Natural Resources said.

"Why don't you solve the problem together with the Ministry of Natural Resources? Or don't you dive so deep into the manure? Is this not a royal affair?" - Matvienko turned to the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ivan Lebedev. This topic, she said, is overripe. "The easiest way is to impose fines. But in the end, you are all responsible for the development of the country's economy," the senator addressed the officials.

According to the deputy head of the Ministry of Agriculture, the department is preparing a positive review of the bill. “It really solves industry problems. Today we are bringing our farmers to a plane that will allow us to use that manure in the fields,” Lebedev said, but pointed to the risks of environmental pollution and water drains if livestock waste is misused.

The head of the Ministry of Natural Resources promised to join the process of coordinating the bill. “You finish the process, do it, but briefly, quickly. You need a result,” Matvienko answered him. “It is clear that Alexander Alexandrovich supports this bill, and it takes a maximum of a week to resolve all issues with the Ministry of Agriculture and issue all the conclusions,” Andrey Turchak, First Vice Speaker of the Federation Council, intervened in the dialogue.

Alexander Kozlov confirmed that he would cope during this time, the representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and the head of Rosprirodnadzor Svetlana Radionova also nodded in agreement. "Agreed. We write down in the transcript: to take into account the statements of the minister and the deputy minister," Matviyenko concluded.

First Vice Speaker Andrei Yatskin and First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Agrarian and Food Policy Sergei Mitin were appointed responsible from the Federation Council. "Plow this week, untie these knots, find a solution that would suit both the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture, and most importantly, would help increase meat production in our country," the chairman of the chamber admonished them. "We found a problem - manure! There are no other problems in the country, we can't deal with manure. Understand it," she concluded.

bbabo.Net