The leaders of the Liaison Board that groups the nation’s five leading farm lobbies met for the first time with the newly-appointed Agriculture Minister Julián Domínguez.

Reports said that Domínguez yesterday held “informal telephone conversations” with the four leaders of the Board that groups the Argentine Rural Society (SRA), the Argentine Small Farmers Federation (FAA), the Argentine Rural Confederations (CRA) and the Coninagro farming co-operatives.

Farmers’ leaders say they plan to raise 22 urgent issues with Domínguez, a Peronist leader from Buenos Aires province who took office on Friday.

Domínguez yesterday swore in his team of officials, including Lorenzo Basso as deputy minister.
Hugo Biolcati, the head of SRA, yesterday once again welcomed the appointment of a new ministry. “We think that this change of structure is very important.” But he added that “in the next days we shall see if there is a change in the content and attitude toward farmers.” Agriculture was upgraded to ministry last week (for the first time since 1980) when Domínguez was appointed. The Liaison Board leaders, who have fiercely opposed the policies of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, attended Domínguez’s swearing in a ceremony at Government House.