The foundation of an agriculture commission at the Federal Environment Agency (KLU) is meant to promote environmental protection in and with the agricultural sector. The appointed chief of the KLU unit is Mr Lutz Ribbe, Director of the EURONATUR Foundation. “The effects of agriculture on our climate, water and soil continue to cause grave environmental problems that require urgent attention. The agriculture commission will assist and consult the Federal Environment Agency with concrete proposals for more environmentally sustainable agriculture.  In addition, their efforts aim to attract more attention to environmental protection in the upcoming round of reforms to the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), due to take place by 2013,” explains President Jochen Flasbarth of the Federal Environment Agency. “The environmental problems currently faced by agriculture were not caused by farmers who breached the law”, says Lutz Ribbe, “but rather as a result of inadequate legislative provisions and the wrong economic incentives.” Negotiations to reform Common Agricultural Policy must serve to make corrections with a view to effecting an overall reduction of the environmental impact of agricultural activities.