October 28, 2003

Argentina Government To Create Law Requiring Crop Rotation to Deter Exclusive Soybean Crop

Argentina's government is designing a law that would eventually require most farmers to rotate their crops, newspaper El Cronista reported Monday.

The aim of the law would be to prevent farmers from dedicating too much area exclusively to soybeans, the report said.

"Given the unstoppable advance of soybeans, the government plans to promote a leasing law that forces the rotation of crops as a way of protecting the sustainability of the soil," El Cronista reported.

Most of Argentina's cropland is rented or leased to major farm companies who then use the land to plant and harvest crops.

The government aims to rewrite leasing laws to push producers into linking about the long-term interests of the country's soil instead of the short-term interests financial benefits of planting a certain crop such as soybeans, the newspaper reported.

The article did not say when the new legislation might be sent to Congress.