“The public notice for breeders approved by the Ars Commission is an important response from Sicilian politics in the face of the emergency condition affecting Sicilian breeders and farmers. Supporting those most affected by drought to obtain fodder is a concrete act of support to save production at risk, give respite to businesses and families in the sector, and to stop the sad phenomenon of animals dying”. As Alessandro De Leo, member of Commission III – Productive Activities, at Ars, expresses satisfaction for the approval by the Commission of the public notice for the formation of a register of fodder suppliers.
“In Commission – explains Alessandro De Leo – we have issued a notice aimed at the submission of applications by breeders through the agricultural assistance centers, delegates for the tasks of investigating the corporate files of agricultural companies, as well as managing the applications that the same companies can submit, in various capacities, for access to specific community support measures. In recent days there had been a postponement that was supposed to approve the vouchers for farmers, today we have arrived at the result that needed to be achieved, in the collective interest and in defense of a category that is indispensable heritage of all, symbol and engine of the productivity of our land. The help that has been foreseen will be able to materialize with streamlined processes and rapid disbursements, by virtue of a higher decree of the general management of the department and the initiative concerns the issuance of hay bonus in favor of breeding companies, for the direct purchase of fodder from suppliers adhering to this notice, with the disbursement of aid which will take place until the allocated financial resources are exhausted, following a request from the zootechnical companies in possession of the legal requirements ”.
The disbursement will take place with respect to damage suffered by businesses according to the list of municipalities ordered based on total precipitation data nin the period December 2023-May 2024. “StWe are aware that it is a step in the context of a problem that persists but this initiative is an important fact. The regional government’s desire to request the European Union and the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sovereignty to recognize the cForce majeure and exceptional circumstances for the entire territory of Sicily pursuant to EU regulation 2021/2116 due to the persistent drought that has been affecting the island for about a year. For the agricultural and livestock sector, this year an average loss of 50% of production is estimated in the scenario of “unlikely summer rainfall” and 75% if these do not occur. We are faced with exceptional circumstances that require equally extraordinary responses.”
