Brescia Meat Sector Advances with Certification Amid Regulatory Challenges

The Brescia meat sector is regrouping to restart from the Montichiari agricultural and livestock fair, the first testing ground for the sector after the Pontevico crisis. The goal is to rebuild the trust between consumers and producers, which has been fractured, by restoring safety through a major provincial certification project for steaks. However, the machinery of Italy seems to be working against this: in France, over 50,000 cattle have already been culled at the end of their productive lives, while here, despite the early days’ proclamations, slaughtering operations have yet to begin. This is one of the most contradictory aspects of the affair, which was summarized and updated yesterday during the fair’s press conference.

Provincial Situation and Initiatives

“At the provincial and regional levels, we are all working together to restart the meat market,” explained regional Agriculture Councillor, Viviana Beccalossi. “And Brescia is once again at the forefront in this regard, thanks to the Center for the Improvement of Milk and Meat, which is already working toward the certified steak in the near future. It’s a pity that our efforts are often nullified by the actions of higher authorities.”

“To begin with, the government has not yet approved the regulation for the stockpiling of animals over 30 months old, resulting in us losing funds allocated by the European Community. The decree with anti-BSE measures lacks crucial interventions such as aid for storing unsold meat. And with so much to do, the 300 billion euros allocated, also taken from funds for agricultural policies assigned to regions, are not even enough to get started. Not to mention, the Pontevico case is still far from being resolved.” This confusion can only negatively impact farmers even more.

Farmers’ Difficulties and Emergency Measures

“Organizing the fair this year has been extremely tough,” admitted Piercarlo Pea, president of the Provincial Farmers Association. “But in the end, we understood that this event was also an opportunity for us dairy farmers to demonstrate that cattle over 30 months are not discarded animals but magnificent specimens in full activity. Clearly, decommissioning provides a safety net that would be foolish not to cling to, especially since Europe is doing the same, and from that perspective, we are ready to collaborate with institutions for recovery. However, solutions must be chosen that are not painful for us or our limited patrimony, which is already much reduced compared to other countries.”

“Unfortunately, considering what happened in Pontevico,” emphasizes Pea, “it’s no wonder farmers are no longer bringing animals to slaughter at the end of their career.” Nevertheless, from this point of view, the situation is beginning to free up: despite fears, farmers are starting to bring animals to slaughterhouses again, and tests have reached 19,000. Yesterday, however, news broke of a possible second case, in Marmirolo, in the Mantova area.

Situation of BSE Cases and Checks

“It’s important to understand that these cases involve very old dairy cows that would not otherwise be destined for consumption,” said Pea, once again highlighting the difference between dairy and beef farms. “Since bans on the use of animal-derived feeds in Italy came into effect in 1994, with some derogations on imports from high-risk countries, it’s possible that some suspected animals still exist.”

Much different, of course, is the situation for steaks and fillets, which in our province always come from animals slaughtered within 20 months. And within approximately two months, these cuts will arrive in a network of designated butcher shops with a mark of recognition and certification covering the entire supply chain.

Certification Project and Future Outlook

“The request has already been submitted to the Ministry for Agricultural Policies,” said provincial Agriculture Councillor Giampaolo Mantelli. “We will be the first province in Europe to launch such an important certification project.”