Italy’s Senate gives final approval to a €1.18 billion agriculture package

Italy’s Senate gave final approval on Wednesday, November 4, to the Coltiva Italia bill, turning into law a government package that the Agriculture Ministry said will direct about €1.18 billion to farming, livestock, research, food supply chains and rural tourism.

The measure passed 76-0, with 64 abstentions, after previously clearing the Chamber of Deputies. The government said the law is meant to strengthen Italian agriculture, support strategic supply chains, address structural weaknesses and improve the sector’s competitiveness.

Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida said the law will provide “more than €1.1 billion” for interventions aimed at making Italian agriculture more resilient and protecting high-quality domestic production. He said the proposal was first presented in 2025 and described the measure as the largest strategic plan for agriculture.

According to the ministry, one of the main pillars is support for strategic agricultural supply chains. The law sets aside €300 million for the procurement of agricultural products, the strengthening of local supply chains, business competitiveness, strategic crops and the breeding of native calves. It also refinances the Food Sovereignty Fund with €70 million to help struggling supply chains, including soft wheat, barley, corn and vegetable proteins.

Another €300 million is allocated to livestock, with the stated goal of reducing dependence on imports and reinforcing domestic beef production and the cow-calf segment. The ministry said lawmakers widened some of those interventions during the parliamentary process so they also cover livestock facilities.

The olive sector will receive €300 million for measures tied to the 2026-2030 national olive plan, including support for businesses dealing with plant diseases and efforts to revive the industry. The law also bars the uprooting of olive trees used for DOP and IGP production to make way for solar or wind installations, unless the trees are replanted on the same site or in nearby areas.

For grain producers, the package includes €10 million for wheat supply-chain contracts, with a tax credit of 20%-40% for agreements lasting three to five years. The government said that provision is intended to give farmers more predictable prices and steadier income.

The law also puts money into generational turnover in agriculture. It allocates €150 million to support young and female farm entrepreneurs, with 65% of the resources going to loans and 35% to nonrepayable grants. In a separate measure, ISMEA will make 8,417 hectares available free of charge for 10 years to people ages 18 to 41, with the option to buy the land later at 50% of its initial value. Municipalities will also be allowed to catalog unused land and make it available for productive use through local land banks.

Research and technology are another large part of the package. The CREA public research body will be allowed to hire 50 additional employees through permanent public competitions, including researchers, technologists, technical staff and administrative staff. The law also provides €10 million in 2026 to modernize CREA’s experimental farms and laboratories, including digital systems, precision farm machinery, sensors, mechatronics and artificial intelligence tools.

Andrea Rocchi, CREA’s president, said the approval will help renew the research workforce and strengthen the agency’s infrastructure. The ministry said the investments are meant to speed the transfer of innovation to agricultural businesses and help adapt crops and production systems to climate pressures.

The package includes emergency measures as well. It creates a national extraordinary commissioner for Xylella through December 31, 2028, backed by a five-person structure and three deputy commissioners, with €3 million in funding. It also introduces a loan moratorium for agricultural, fishing and aquaculture businesses hit by animal and plant disease outbreaks during 2025.

To address African swine fever, the law provides €1 million for prevention, biosecurity and business support to protect farms and supply chains, plus €3 million for slaughtering companies. The ministry said the funding will cover surveillance and biosecurity measures, including fencing and temporary structures aimed at limiting wild boar movement, as well as support for freezing and storing meat from restricted areas.

The law also expands oversight of food authenticity and trade practices. It allows the supervisory authority to issue warnings for violations that can be remedied, giving companies 60 days to correct their position and close the case by paying a sanction equal to one-third of the legal minimum. Another €1.79 million is earmarked to strengthen import controls on fishery products, and €650,000 will go to a national database of analytical profiles designed to verify the geographic, varietal and compositional origin of food products.

Other provisions cover truffle harvesting and vinegar production. The law tightens rules for truffle collection in wildlife and agritourism hunting estates, giving managers the power to regulate how the activity is carried out and adding specific sanctions for violations. It also says the term “vinegar” may be used only for products derived from agricultural raw materials rather than synthetic inputs, and requires labels to specify the agricultural source.

For wineries and other beverage businesses, one of the most immediate provisions is a €9.2 million allocation for wine tourism and olive oil tourism. The law also adds hospitality to the activities that farms may offer as part of wine and oil tourism in rural areas, a change that could help producers diversify revenue through lodging and visitor experiences. The practical effect for businesses will depend on how those measures are implemented and how quickly companies can access the support.

The government also included administrative simplification measures aimed at cutting red tape and speeding access to public funds. Under the new rules, applications handled by authorized agricultural assistance centers will become immediately enforceable when they do not require discretionary evaluation, a step the ministry said should speed the rollout of support across the sector.