In “Asset Decree” another 6 million euros for winegrowers affected by Downy mildew

With the Senate’s green light to the “Asset Decree”, and pending the vote of the Chamber of Deputies, additional resources arrive for the wine sector, severely affected by the attacks of Downy mildew, which has reduced its productivity by 6 million hectoliters: to 1 million euros already provided for in the Solidarity Fund, another 6 million are added, for a total endowment of 7 million euros, thus responding to the sector’s demands.

The Decree, however, contains many other measures that directly affect the agricultural world, starting with the amendment on urgent interventions in support of strategic economic activities for Made in Italy, which introduces the exemption from landscape authorization for ordinary forestry operations, thus supporting the role of Italian supply chains for the processing and use of wood by-products.

As Confagricoltura points out in its analysis, there is also the amendment regarding the incentive - as provided in the NRP - of energy from renewable sources. The regulatory intervention, concerning the production of biomethane, introduces an anti-inflation measure consisting of a monthly update activity, by the Gse, of tariffs and eligible expenses. Also positive is the amendment to support consortia and companies in the aquaculture sector, for which a 500,000-euro fund is provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty to deal with the proliferation of the blue crab species. The distribution of the resources will follow the definition of the geographical areas affected, the beneficiaries and how to submit applications, and the costs incurred by consortia and companies.

Also important are the changes included in the Decree on huntable species and periods of hunting activity, starting with the amendment that provides more certainty to the sector’s operators on procedures, and the timing of approval of calendars, while another one intervenes on the determination of huntable species, recognizing the Regions the possibility to intervene with modifications always in compliance with the periods provided for by law, and after receiving the opinion of the National Institute for Wildlife. A further amendment on hunting activities intervenes on the practice of shooting, introducing some clarifications regarding the application of the regulations on the use of lead-containing ammunition, especially during transport, so as to avoid irrelevant penalties.