We need to ensure that the rural habitat continues to be developed and does not become the poorhouse of Europe.

As regards (non-health-related) food education, farmers' detailed understanding of, for example, production techniques, product quality and marketing, the environment and the cultural traditions underlying a particular type of farming is an asset that can be promoted and disseminated.

(f) development, rural housing or land management projects.

Particular attention will continue to be given to the environmental dimension, by developing statistics needed for analysing inter-linkage between agriculture and the environment, including the improvement of statistics on the use of fertilisers and pesticides, on organic farming and on action to maintain biodiversity and rural habitats.

caring for the environment and securing the water supply, ensuring air and soil quality, treating agricultural waste and mastering energy expenditure in the countryside and in transport,

Finally, Mr President, I would like to highlight the contribution of Amendment No 10, which proposes a new Article 5a, defining the following criteria to be met by programmes or measures eligible for funding: that these programmes should foster sustainable, multifunctional farming; they should serve to maintain or create jobs; they should promote social and regional cohesion; they should give a more prominent role to women and young people; they should protect the environment and safeguard the water supply, air quality and soil quality; they should treat agricultural waste and control energy expenditure, in the countryside and in tr ...[+++]ansport.