President signs new Agriculture Act into law

President Aleksander Kwaśniewski yesterday signed a bill on the agricultural system, which was earlier passed by the Senate without any amendments. According to the bill, anyone wishing to have a farm will have to possess some qualifications while the maximum size of the family-type farm will stand at 300 hectares. However, other types of farm will not be limited in size. In the event of selling the land, first refusal to acquire it will lie with the lessee and afterwards with the State Treasury Agriculture Ownership Agency (AWRSP). Work on the system was greatly accelerated by the fact that it had to be accepted before today, when current EU members will sign the accession treaty in Athens, inviting candidate countries to join the Union next year. (www.polskieradio.pl) M.M.