Organic farming in Italy

Summary

History and situation of OF in Italy:
The recent growth of organic sector in Italy can be considered a success story that deserves to be properly known and analysed. It is the result of several circumstances: the numerous food scandals which have afflicted Europe, the search for technical and economic alternatives by farmers, who have not yet decided to give up, the abundant flow of subsidies (direct and indirect ) which have been channelled into the entire organic food chain. Nevertheless, it also represents the outcome of the first steps made by few pioneers who since the early ‘50s had started to criticize the path into which the so called technological progress and the agricultural policies were leading Italian and European farming. These pioneers were old and new farmers, medical doctors, shop owners and traders, food processors and consumers, veterinarians and agronomists, with some rare scientists, all of whom for more than 30 years have been struggling to convince the surrounding people and the Institutions that another food system is possible.