Promotion Funds Under Fire: Krajewski Announces Changes but Draws a Line

In brief

• The Ministry of Agriculture has drafted changes to the rules for funds promoting Polish food, with details still to be presented.
• Minister Stefan Krajewski wants to improve how effectively the money is used but rules out abolishing the system.
• The debate grew after reports that almost 700 thousand zloty went to promotional events and MPs filed an interpellation.
• Consultations with the industry are the next step.

Ministry drafts changes to promotion funds

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has prepared preliminary proposals to change the rules for funds that promote Polish food products (Wokół funduszy promocji zrobiło się gorąco. Krajewski zapowiada zmiany, ale stawia granicę – tygodnik-rolniczy.pl) (Rewolucja w funduszach promocji? Minister ma projekt zmian i rusza z konsultacjami – wiescirolnicze.pl). The draft is due to go to consultations with the industry. The details of the new rules have not been presented yet.

Minister rules out abolishing the system

Minister Stefan Krajewski said on October 29, during a meeting with the media at the ministry headquarters, that the aim is to improve how effectively the money is used, not to shut the system down. The ministry and industry representatives say the program will stay in place. Jacek Zarzecki, vice chair of the Polish Platform for Sustainable Beef, said the funds matter for promoting Polish food. Their future, he said, should take into account both the results of spending and the needs of producers.

Spending under scrutiny

The debate intensified after reports that nearly 700,000 zloty went to promotional events financed from the fund (Prawie 700 tys. zł na promocję. Rolnicy krytykują wydatki – wp.pl). MPs submitted a parliamentary interpellation to Krajewski with questions about the funds. Farmers have also criticized the spending and are demanding more transparency in how the money is allocated (Rolnicy krytykują wydatki, minister odpowiada. Fundusze promocji czeka reforma - Fakty – farmer.pl).

What happens next

The consultations with the industry are the next step. The reform is not yet final. Producers, who finance and benefit from the promotion of their products, are the group most directly affected by the outcome.