A total of 17 Cantabrian shepherds are linked to the `Pro-Biodiversity` brand.

Palencia defends pastoralism as part of Cantabria’s DNA, and expresses its support for extensive mountain livestock farming.

n total of 22 mountain shepherds in the area of Picos de Europa, 17 of them from Cantabria, are linked to the brand `Pro-Biodiversity`, created and registered in 2011 by the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture to distinguish and value food produced in Natura 2000 areas. Fifty farmers, technicians, municipal authorities and heads of various associations have participated this morning in a conference organized by the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture about this brand, among which was the Minister of Rural Development, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Pablo Palencia. At the event, held at the Deluz restaurant in Santander, the Pro-Biodiversity brand was presented, which distinguishes the food and production contributes to the conservation of biodiversity, since the remains of the slaughtered lambs that are destined for human consumption are collected by the foundation to be consumed by necrophagous birds in supplementary feeding points in the National Park of the Picos de Europa. The `Pro-Biodiversity` project has as partners the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, the Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León and the Fundación para la Conservación del Quebrantahuesos. The Minister of Rural Development has defended in the day the shepherding “as an activity that is part of the DNA of the society of Cantabria, its history, its culture and its traditions,” and has expressed the support of the Ministry to extensive livestock in general and the mountain in particular “that has been kept alive thanks to the shepherds and ranchers. Palencia has opened this morning the event, entitled `Marca de garantía Pro-Biodiversidad, un proyecto de futuro para el medio rural`, and thanked the driving foundation for its work to revitalize grazing and mountain livestock “picking up the baton of the validity of extensive livestock when it is questioned for various reasons”. The counselor has also stressed that this type of livestock “collects a future in which we believe, because it is something more than a livestock and economic activity, it is a social activity, it is something that is part of ourselves,” he said. “We want to collaborate in a project for the future with the central government, private and public foundations and working groups to promote this activity that we consider strategic,” he said. The head of the Nature Conservation Unit of the Directorate General for the Environment of the European Commission, Andrea Vettori (videoconference); the coordinator of the Bioeconomy area of the Biodiversity Foundation, Gemma Rodríguez, and the director of the Foundation for the Conservation of the Bearded Vulture, Gerardo Báguena, also took part in the conference. Also taking part were representatives of the Probiodiversity Mountain Shepherds and the representative of the ITA of Castilla y León, Ceferina Vieira, who highlighted the characteristics of the meat of the Pro-Biodiversity suckling lambs. The General Director of Rural Development of the Government of Cantabria, Carmen Fernández del Río, was in charge of closing the session, followed by a showcooking and tasting of the Pro-Biodiversity lamb.

SOURCE:

https://cantabrialiberal.com/cantabria/un-total-de-17-pastores-cantabros-estan-ligados-a-la-marca-pro-biodiversidad,711255.html