10.00 – 10.05   Foreword
Romāns Meļņiks, Editor-in-Chief of “Dienas Bizness”

10.05 – 10.20   Latvia's national strategy, challenges and work plan for the new 2023-2027 programming period and under the conditions of the Russian war in Ukraine 
Kaspars Gerhards, Minister for Agriculture

10.20 – 10.40  Regulatory framework and Roadmap for the CAP 2023-2027
Maciej Golubiewski, Head of Cabinet for EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski

10.40 – 10.50  Risks and opportunities for agriculture and related sectors during the transition period to the new CAP SP 2023-2027 and the war taking place in Ukraine
Edgars Treibergs, Chairman of LOSP

10.50 – 11.10   Results of the study – VAT rate on food, Green Deal goals
Representative from SKDS

11.10 – 11.40   Discussion: Reducing VAT on food – socio-economic benefits and risks
Discussion participants:

• Guntis Vilnītis, Director General of LOSP,
• Jānis Eglīts, Head of the Ministry of Agriculture office,
• Ināra Šure, Chair of the Council of the LPUF
• Representative from the Ministry of Finance (to be confirmed)

11.40 – 12.00   Break

PART I | SUPPORT MECHANISMS IN AGRICULTURE: IMPACT AND PRACTICAL RESULTS

12.00 – 12.20   Government support mechanisms: Identification of risks, speed of determining support, solving problems, results
Zigmārs Ķikāns, Head of the Market and Direct Support Department at the Ministry of Agriculture

12.20 – 12.40   Green Deal guidelines in the new programming period – defined requirements, allocation of support and consequences of non-compliance with obligations
Valters Zelčs, Chairman of the Board of the association “For Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Environment”, foreign policy expert for Zemnieku saeima

12.40 – 13.10   Discussion – Competitiveness of Latvian farmers in the common European market
Discussion participants:

• Jānis Eglīts, Head of the Ministry of Agriculture office,
• Guntis Gūtmanis, LOSP board member, Head of the Dairy Group,
• Indulis Jansons,Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Agricultural Cooperatives Association,
• Ringolds Arnītis, board member of the Latvian Society of Agronomists

PART II | INCREASE IN PRODUCTION COSTS AND FACTORS INFLUENCING THEM

13.10 – 13.25   Potential consequences of the price increase and deficit of plant protection products and mineral fertilisers
Representative from Zemnieku saeima (to be confirmed)

13.25 – 13.45   Increase in production costs and its impact on the buyer
Jānis Grasbergs, representative of farm “Zilūži”

13.45 – 14.15   Discussion – Changes in prices of raw materials and production resources, their impact on production costs. Possible consequences and solutions

Discussion participants:

• Ingūna Gulbe, leading researcher at AREI,
• Jānis Irbe, LOSP board member, Chairman of the Board of LAEF,
• Ringolds Arnītis, board member of the Latvian Society of Agronomists,
• Jānis Bušs, Chairman of the Board of the cooperative “Baltijas dārzeņi”,
• Kaspars Melnis, board member of SIA “Sprūževa”

14.15 – 14.20   Break

PART III | PROBLEMS OF SPECIFIC SECTORS AGAINST THE GENERAL BACKGROUND – REPORTS

14.20 – 14.35   Cattle farming sector, main problems and threats
Raimonds Jakovickis, Chairman of the Board of the “Beef Cattle Breeders Association”

14.35 – 14.50  Pig farming and processing sector, main problems and threats
Dzintra Lejniece, Chair of the Board of the “Latvian Pig Breeders Association”

14:50 – 15.35   Milk production, prospects, how to get out of losses
Guntis Gūtmanis, LOSP board member, Head of the Dairy Group,
Jānis Šolks, Chairman of the Central Union of Latvian Milk Producers

15.35 – 15.40   Break

PART IV | LABOUR PROBLEMS IN RURAL AREAS

15.40 – 15.50   Availability of seasonal labour in rural areas, financial losses incurred. Horticulture, vegetable growing
Māra Rudzāte, LOSP board member, Chair of the Board of the association “Latvian Fruit Growers Association”

15.50 – 16.05   Education in the sector, highly qualified workforce, its availability
Andrejs Vītoliņš, LOSP board member, Head of the Food Industry and Agriculture Sectoral Expert Council

16.05 – 16.45   Discussion – Solutions for labour shortages in rural areas for seasonal work, attracting and retaining permanent highly qualified labour

Discussion participants:

• Irina Pilvere, Rector of the LLU,
• Ritvars Jansons, representative of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee, Deputy Chair of the Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Committee,
• Kaspars Melnis, board member of SIA “Sprūževa”
• Ieva Rutkovska, Chair of the Board of the Latvian Holstein Association

16.45 – 17.00   Conclusion. Adoption of resolution
Jānis Irbe, LOSP board member, Chairman of the Board of LAEF