Minister Zaia visits Cascina Venerìa
On September 18th in Piemonte the Minister for Agricultural Policy, Luca Zaia declared the rice threshing season open. Cascina Venerìa is packed with figures from politics, agriculture and the general public

“Rice is a product of fundamental importance for the agricultural sector of the
nation. These are the figures: half the production of this country or a quarter of
the European total comes from 251.976 acres here in Piemonte.”
With these words the Minister of Agriculture greeted the arrival of agriculturalists
and representatives from the consorzi of Ovest Sesia and Bonifica Baraggia,
who manage between them 90 kilometers of the famous Cavour Canal, constructed
by Camillo Benso in 1863. They had gathered together at Cascina
Venerìa, the chosen venue for this ceremony.
To welcome the Minister- accompanied by Members of Parliament Cota,
Bonanno, Rosso and Piccioni, local mayors and the heads of the institutions
which control the production of rice-managing director Guido Sodano and
Domenico Terzano conducted a tour of the estate, explaining the production
process from the ears of rice to the packing, and finally led the party through
to a conference room crammed with members of the public, photographers
and cameramen.“I believe that the role of the Rice producing sector here in
Italy” commented Guido Sodano“ is today more than ever of real strategic
importance.Tradition and the pursuit of absolute quality, as at all our properties,
represent the main tools to help us compete in a global market
which has conferred a greater value than ever on food. Saiagricola,” continued
Sodano “intends to continue to function as a point of reference for this area.”
Saiagricola replies to those members of society who call for a closer co-operation with the production sector, the better
to understand the complex issue of food.
Saiagricola believes that Quality and Culture move at the same pace.
We are judged on small but important features like environmental certification, the innovative drying machine we use
for foodgrade rice which is fuelled by maize rather than diesel, the “clean” electrical energy which Enel Verde supplies
to various estates, the way we champion local products and the areas which produce them, in short
on our Love of Nature. Sainews in conference with Luca Zaia, Minister of Agricultural
Policy, looks at some of the key questions faced by the agricultural/grocery
sector of the Made In Italy movement.
Have you found any changes to the rural
scene portrayed so memorably in the De
Santis film “Riso Amaro” during your visit
to Cascina Venerìa?
Cascina Venerìa is an example of how ties with
history, tradition and a sense of place in the world of
agriculture can indeed be strengthened, so today this
is still somewhere that tells a story of hard work and
sacrifice - features hot - wired into the farming genes
of this country. The atmosphere of the De Santis film,
which if I remember rightly was shot in 1949, lives on
here. And it was here, bridgeing past and present, that I
met one of the last of the seasonal workers (the “mondine”), 80 year old Francesca
Paracchini who worked for
52 years in rice production
and whom I would like to
inaugurate on the 23rd of
October at the Salone
Internazionale del Gusto in
Torino. Agriculture is rooted
in place and forges a strong
bond with the earth as we
see in the film, but which you
can also see in today's way of
life when rice is still cultivated
with the same passion and
sense of sacrifice.
The film through a portrait
of life in postwar
Italy sends out a message
of the integrity of both
Man and Nature.
Today agriculture means
production, identity and
“safe” nourishment: how can these attributes be maintained with regard to rice
production and to the concept of “Made In Italy” in general?
The agricultural scene here in Italy has changed over the course of time to keep pace with progress,
though the components of its DNA- quality, authenticity and safety- remain the same. These are the
lines which define the identity of today's agriculture which we try to defend and safeguard by making
ourselves available to the sole lobby we are interested in helping: the farmers themselves. And we do
this at both national and international levels to act against those who would threaten or damage the key
areas of Italian agriculture. As far as rice is concerned, the World Trade Organization put the product at
grave risk by threatening to abolish duty, so I made sure that I was there myself to defend our protective
measures and to look after the precious thread that sees Italy as the leading producer of rice in Europe
with 224.000 hectares under cultivation and a turnover of 491 million Euros. A further threat to the agricultural
sector comes from those who do not respect the rules. For this reason I have actioned a state of
zero tolerance on the safety of grocery products which has already brought about significant results such as
the impounding of melamine goods from China in Naples, “cappelletti” in Puglia, and “Amarone” at Livorno.
These actions have been made possible thanks to the welcome collaboration of the Corpo Forestale, the ICQ
and the NAC police to whom I have given the mandate to act with the maximum severity against those who
break rules and discredit the work of honest farmers. The patrimony of Italian agriculture is not only protected
via defensive action but also through the evaluation and promotion of our products.This is one of the features
of the “Farmer's Markets” project that we are supporting.This is a project whereby growers can sell direct
to the consumer: in so doing the supply chain is made shorter, prices are lowered and, above all else, people
can begin to appreciate the role of seasonality, quality and provenance in agriculture.
Saiagricola produces various different DOC and DOCG wines at the moment, from Vino
Nobile di Montepulciano to Montefalco Sagrantino and Val di Cornia, from Barbera to
Moscato d'Asti. Today's agriculture is undergoing re-organization at every level including
therefore wine production. The new European classifications
which come into force
from August 1st 2009 could
reduce by almost 40% those
denominations which define
production in Italy, moving
from 476 made up of
DOCG, DOC and IGT to
around 182 made up of
DOP and IGP.
Is Italian wine at risk of
losing its identity?
Wine is one of the products of
real excellence which has carried
the name of Italy and its
regions around the world. This
year's vintage in Italy will be
concluded with around 50 million
hectolitres of wine,making
us one the foremost countries
in the world in production
terms.We also have a wider range of denominations than other countries with 316 DOCs, 40 DOCGs and
120 IGTs and we are aware that behind every label there is not just a list of rules and regulations but also a
story to be told. The identity of Italian wine is solid and structured and one of its strongest features is the
bond between the product and its origin.The new classification that Europe is proposing is something which
we have inherited and with which we are not fully in agreement. It's a recipe for disaster really from the point
of view of our denominations where we stand to see the patrimony of our legislative system left in ruins. So
in Europe I will therefore use all the means at my disposal to to block the measures the European Union are
proposing and which threaten drastic consequences for the heritage of our wine producing industry.
The European Union and Italy together are providing increasingly substantial subsidies for
the use of renewable energy sources amongst which biomasses represent the most important
sources of renewable energy here in Europe. Agriculture + Environment + Energy =
BIOENERGY.
Is this the equation of the future?
It's an equation which might work. Renewable energy sources are the right road to follow in order to guarantee
a future for our environment and I believe the government of which I am a part is working decisively
towards this end. On the link between renewable energy sources and agriculture, I think that the arrival of biogas
from our animal husbandry practices from wellspread small installations, or heating systems which utilise
the by products of our farming systems, can benefit our farmers and help the environment without penalizing
Italian agricultural produce.
And finally, what do you think of Saiagricola?
Saiagricola makes quality a fundamental principle of production and this forms the basis of an approach to agriculture
which we aim to support and promote. Saiagricola which owns properties in Toscana, Umbria and
Piemonte and has always been associated with quality produce, is an example of the bond between agriculture
and the land: this kind of model outfit merits our thanks for its mission to safeguard and promote tradition and
quality while showing full respect for the environment.