Confagricoltura met the mayor of Forlì Gian Luca Zattini and the councilor for agriculture Marco Catalano to present the programmatic platform “Producing is not a sin” (www.prodottononepeccato.it). The discussion was held as part of the event organized by the association at Podere dei Nespoli in Civitella last 22 April, during which the professional organization raised awareness among local politicians and administrators about the needs of the agricultural world, but also discussed with the candidate for the European elections Guglielmo Garagnani.
“Farmers need concrete responses from politics to become competitive again. To get out of the crisis, a change of pace on bureaucracy and taxes, which suffocate companies, is essential”, comment Carlo Carli and Alberto Mazzoni, respectively president and vice-president of Confagricoltura Forlì-Cesena and Rimini.
An appeal taken up by the mayor of Forlì, who underlined the Municipality’s attention to the primary sector, through the establishment of the agriculture department and the relaunch of the Agricultural Council, the latter measure being particularly appreciated by Confagricoltura. “It is a fundamental element of connection between the primary sector and politics, essential for strategically relaunching the sector. It is no coincidence that it is among the fundamental points of our platform and we trust that other local authorities will adopt or relaunch the Agricultural Council”, explain Carli and Mazzoni.
Among the issues at the center of the debate is post-flood reconstruction, which saw agricultural businesses among the most damaged by the catastrophe. Zattini and Catalano underlined the closeness to the sector demonstrated by General Figliuolo, which will result in a rapid process for the arrival of the refreshments. The two administrators also hoped for the launch of a structural intervention plan for the safety of the territory on the Veneto model, which will allow farmers to no longer have to tremble due to bad weather.
Commitments that satisfy Confagricoltura. “We are happy that the role of farmers in protecting the environment is recognized. For too long rivers have been looked at only as ecological corridors, while they must first of all be hydraulic corridors – conclude Carli and Mazzoni – We need an organic hydraulic maintenance plan that takes into account the needs of agriculture and livestock and makes it easier realization of hydraulic works also for private individuals”.
