EU ponders ways to promote the continent's soil quality

The EU is calling for suggestions on the best ways to promote the high soil quality standards that agricultural workers on the continent have to abide by.

It has published a green paper on the issue and is hoping that a new strategy can be developed to encourage people to buy EU-grown food products.

According to commissioner for agriculture and rural development Dacian Ciolos, European farmers are forced to operate under tighter environmental legislation and animal welfare rules than anywhere else in the world.

Now, the EU is keen to promote the stringent nature of these measures to emphasise the quality of food sourced in Europe.

"The European agriculture industry needs an ambitious and effective promotion policy which highlights the added-value of the sector," the EU representative commented.

Last month, EU leaders revealed they were confident that the fruit and vegetable market was returning back to normal, after a number of items were removed from shelves in light of the recent outbreak of E coli in Germany, which claimed 14 lives.

Posted by Joseph Hutton