The Communication Activities of Latvian Agricultural

Organisations: Overview of 2012

Tools and Strategy for 2013/14

Latvian Agricultural Cooperatives Association

About us There are three large and powerful agricultural organisations, who are also members to COPA/COGECA, operating actively in Latvia Latvian Agricultural Cooperatives Association

Currently unites 56 agricultural service cooperativesFarmers’ Parliament

Unites almost 900 farmers from all regions of LatviaLatvian Agricultural Organisation Cooperation Council

The association unites NGOs representing manufacturers and producers, in total 55 manufacturers’ organisations

Why 2012?

The story on the Latvian farmers’ NGOs would be simply incomplete without having a look on the accomplishments in 2012

Unique, historical experience regarded by experts as the first experience of the independent Latvia in lobbying the interests of the sector on the EU level

Focus in 2012Since joining the EU, the Baltic States have received the lowest EU direct payments

There are great hopes that the unfairness will be corrected in the next planning period

In 2011 the European Commission offered the Baltic States/Latvia 54% from the EU average amount

Demand of Latvia — minimum 80% from the EU average amount

The offer by the EC was a turn for the Baltic farmers and they decided to mobilise for lobbying their interests at Europe

EU Direct Payments CampaignLatvian farmers participated in the campaign by contributing LVL 0,50 per 1 haWork in two directions, lobby closely linked with communication

The lobbying work of representatives from the agricultural organisations — meetings with EU decision makers in the European halls of power Public activities in Brussels and the Baltic States to draw media attention and make additional pressure to decision makers here and thereThree levels

• National — cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• Baltic — harmonising of opinions and position, agreement on activities • EU — Members of the European Parliament, the EC Commissioner for Agriculture

and Rural Development and his office, ministers representing fields of agriculture and agricultural organisations from the EU Member States

What we are proud of — outstanding public activities

Vegetable bed at the Cabinet of Ministers in Riga

Vegetables instead of the traditional flowers throughout the whole season

Aim — to draw attention from politicians, officials, inhabitants and guests of the city to the problem with the EU direct payments

What we are proud of — outstanding public activities

Collecting signatures of the inhabitants of the Baltic States for the petition against unfair EU direct payments

60 000 signatures collected in total

Submitting the petition to the President of the EP Martin Schulz

What we are proud of — outstanding public activities

Baltic farmers’ protest during the EU summit in Brussels on June 28th

What we are proud of — outstanding public activities

Baltic farmers’ protest tractorA Soviet-era tractor MTZ-80, also called Belarus, owned by a young farmerSet off from Tallinn on November 14th and travelled through all Baltic States to have a stop at Berlin and reach Brussels on 22

What we are proud of — outstanding public activities

On November 22nd the tractor was welcomed in Brussels where more than 100 Baltic farmers participated in the protest

What we are proud of — outstanding public activities

Bonfire “Baltic Way”

In total about 4000 people involved in the protest act in Latvia and Estonia

Outstanding public activities“Choir Wars” in BrusselsAlmost 100 Baltic farmers, including 40 farmers-choir singers gathered in Brussels on 7 February where the decision was made regarding the direct paymentsArmed with songs and flags

Hat with sign “Help the EU Budget”

ConclusionsAs the campaign was going on, the offer of the EU institutions gradually improved

In financial terms the Latvian farmers will receive 50% more than in the previous period

Discrimination remainsWe will still receive the lowest amount of direct paymentsThe asked 80% from the EU average — only in 2019

As comparatively new EU Member State we gained invaluable experience in lobbying our interests

We will be wiser for the next time to start more duly

Everyday work in LatviaIt is not much different from the job we did throughout EU campaign, work mainly in two directions

Work with decision makersInforming the society on topicalities in agriculture

Each organisation have their public relation specialists who are responsible for developing and introducing communication strategy

Press releases, events, actualities, social mediaCurrently the most active on social media — Farmers’ Parliament, Twitter account

Educating decision makers

Taking into account the fact that Latvia is small country and agriculture historically has been an integral part of the Latvian economy, the farmers’ NGOs have good direct contact with all higher authorities of the state

Regular meetings are held with the President, Prime Minister, ministers from the respective fields, Members of Saeima (National Parliament)Visits of decision makers to agricultural companies

Events – educating societyTractor Day

Traditional event for the whole family on a Saturday in MayThe aim of the event is to foster the agricultural and rural development, and cooperation among the state, NGOs, and entrepreneursUnusual venue — on the fieldActivities for adults and children

Annual competition for young farmers “Senču aicinājums” (“Ancestors’ Vocation”)

Main criteria: creativity, use of new methods, ideas, technologyThematic conferences in different fields of agriculture — dairy, crops, fruit-vegetable

CAP: Country enters the cityThe topicality of this year is the project “CAP: Country enters the city”

Target audience — civil society, in particular young persons in citiesResearch on the stereotypes of young people on the contemporary agricultureDiscussions at universitiesPhoto contest to develop calendar “CAP: Country enters the city”Advertising campaign: radio and social mediaActivities during city festivals at the largest cities

• Seven fields of agriculture: cattle breeding, cultivation of grain, bee-keeping, horticulture, fisheries, forestry; visualisation of a modern farmstead, etc.

Other communication tools

Monthly journal “Latvijas Piensaimnieks” (“Latvian Dairy Processor”) for dairy farmers in Latvia

Issued by “Latvijas Piens”/Latvian Milk — milk processing company owned by Latvian farmers

Cooperation with educational institutionsAnnual informative events at vocational schools in Latvia

Truths

Media in Latvia are responsive to topics related to agriculture

Hard everyday work to ensure interesting content — it is much harder to regain attention than to maintain it

Advantages of a small country — good approach to media and administration

THANK YOU!