Ecological Code of the New CAP and the Bulgarian Agricultural Producer

The paper presents the results of an empirical sociological study “Ecological Culture of the Bulgarian Agricultural Producer”, carried out on the territory of Blagoevgrad region in 2010. The results are representative for the agricultural producers from the region, characterized with small-land production. The high ecological culture of the respondents and their attitudes for future economic activity, registered by the empirical sociological study (ESS), are a serious potential for effective adoption of the new budget and reference frame of CAP in force since 1st January 2014. The ESS results show that in this region there is a stable consistence between natural resources, pro-ecological practices and agricultural activity. This is a significant condition for a successful application of the new CAP – more effective policy for more competitive and sustainable agriculture and active rural regions. This goal can be achieved through innovations, knowledge transfer, cooperation in the food chain, effective use of resources, maintaining the ecological balance, the landscape, for ensuring food certainty and quality achieved by ecological payments on the so-called “green measures”. In the new CAP (2014-2020) one third of the expenditures for developing rural regions are foreseen for ecological payments. The results of the carried out ESS show very good knowledge of the ecological code of CAP, a future main requirement to the agricultural producers. The new agricultural policy is an answer to the challenges to the agriculture – economic, ecological and territorial. The potential of the human factor for realizing the new CAP, registered by the carried out ESS, is high and is a guarantee for a successful overcoming of the conflict points between the economic activity of the agricultural producers and the environment. It is a significant advantage for the sustainable development of the region in economic, social and ecological aspect.