Agriculture: European Parliament delegation in Italy. Visit to Parmigiano Reggiano and Mutti production sites

Brussels – From 15 to 17 September, a delegation from the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee (AGRI) will visit some of the most important agri-food production sites in Italy. The MEPs’ mission aims to create a direct bridge between European institutions and Italian producers. Leading the delegation will be the Chairwoman of the AGRI Committee, Veronika Vrecionová (ECR), who gave the following reasons for choosing Italy: “It is one of the largest agricultural producers in the EU, we must engage with them following the presentation of the Common Agricultural Policy proposal (CAP).”

The large delegation will mainly visit producers from the Po Valley, concluding their trip in Milan, at Palazzo Lombardia, the seat of the Region. Vrecionová, together with MEPs, will visit the production plants of Parmigiano Reggiano and Mutti. Meetings and debates with rice producers and farmers specialising in sustainable production are also planned. The focus will always be on sustainability, with a visit also to a biomethane production company, energy generated from agricultural waste and urban waste.

This is not an easy time for the sector. The trade war with the United States has put a strain on a large part of European production and also on Italian exporters, while the agreement with MERCOSUR frightens farmers because of the feared competition with products from Latin America. “Without reciprocity, it is unfair competition. EU agriculture is at risk, said Coldiretti President Ettore Prandini in an interview with Corriere della Sera. These difficulties are in addition to those listed by Vrecionová: “Agriculture faces a number of challenges, such as market volatility, high energy and production prices, and generational change or weather-related disruptions.” 

The opportunity for AGRI MEPs is to learn “about agricultural projects in practice and the obstacles producers might encounter,” knowledge useful “during debates on the new CAP.”

The MEPs’ visit will bring the problems of the agrifood sector back to the centre of the Italian debate. This is also because the delegation will include representatives from many political forces: Stefano Bonaccini (PD, S&D), Camilla Laureti (PD, S&D), Dario Nardella (PD, S&D), Carlo Fidanza (FDI, ECR), Raffaele Stancanelli (Lega, PfE) and Cristina Guarda (AVS, Greens).