Confederaciones Rurales Argentinas (CRA) demanded that Nicolás Pino, head of the Sociedad Rural Argentina, publicly clarify whether the remarks by director Andrés Costamagna on Canal Rural, described by CRA as offensive, represent the organization's institutional position or are personal opinions.
The tension between two of the organizations that make up the Mesa de Enlace was laid bare on Thursday afternoon, after Confederaciones Rurales Argentinas (CRA) issued a statement addressed to the president of the Sociedad Rural Argentina (SRA), Nicolás Pino, demanding public answers over the media remarks made by Andrés Costamagna, a director of the organization, on Canal Rural.
In the document, signed by CRA president Carlos Castagnani, the association states: "We address you regarding the public statements made by the Director of that organization, Mr. Andrés Costamagna, during an interview on Canal Rural on today's date in which, referring to the conduct and institutional position of Confederaciones Rurales Argentinas (CRA), he made expressions that we consider offensive, disparaging and lacking the respect that should prevail in the relationship between institutions that share the representation of the agricultural sector as trade associations."
Specifically, CRA stated: "We are concerned by the assertions in which he attributed to CRA an alleged conduct of "misinforming", "miscommunicating" and adopting a position of "extreme denialism", as well as the subsequent considerations regarding the "irresponsibility of its leaders"." For Castagnani, "this is not a difference of criteria, which is perfectly legitimate and even necessary in the sphere of trade-association representation, but rather public disparagement of an organization and its authorities that not only offend but also do not contribute to the dialogue or the joint work that the sector requires."
In light of this, CRA asked Pino to state "expressly whether such statements respond to the institutional position of the Sociedad Rural Argentina or whether, on the contrary, they constitute personal assessments by its Director that do not represent or commit the thinking of that organization with respect to CRA." It added: "In the event that the SRA does not share or endorse those expressions, we understand that it should make this known publicly and request the aforementioned Director to issue the corresponding correction, in the same terms and through the same media in which they were made."
The statement closes with a call to settle differences "with arguments and within a framework of institutional respect," warning that "the opposite means unnecessarily damaging a relationship between organizations that have responsibilities toward their members and toward society as a whole."
The clash is part of a dispute that CRA and SRA have maintained for several months over the territorial representation of agricultural producers. The SRA's strategy of expanding its presence in the interior and establishing direct ties with rural societies that are already part of the confederation's structure is viewed with growing concern at CRA.
As of Oct. 5, the SRA had some 137 grassroots organizations incorporated into its Federal Council, of which around 63 also belonged to CRA. The tension is also explained by Pino's growing political influence and his good relationship with President Javier Milei and the economic team, which have made him one of the government's closest interlocutors within the agricultural sector.
The differences also spilled over into specific agricultural policy issues, such as the reform of the foot-and-mouth disease vaccination system. While Pino defended the possibility of producers freely choosing who vaccinates their herds, CRA rejected that alternative on the grounds that it could weaken the animal-health program sustained by the rural foundations, many of them linked to its own territorial structure. "We agree that the producer needs to cut costs, but not by jeopardizing an animal-health matter as sensitive as foot-and-mouth disease," Castagnani said.
The dispute had a new chapter in October, when the Sociedad Rural de La Paz, in Entre Ríos, decided to leave the SRA's Federal Council and denounced "repeated institutional abuses" by the national leadership, which it accused of contacting local organizations directly without respecting provincial structures. CRA's first vice president, José Colombatto, also questioned those moves and called for strengthening representation from the territory.
Although both organizations continue to share the Mesa de Enlace, the differences have laid bare a competition for leadership and for the role of political interlocutor for the sector, which is now intensifying after CRA's demand for a correction over Costamagna's remarks became known.
