Photovoltaic, the rules are changing. This is what the Agriculture decree provides
Stop ground-based systems. The army arrives against swine fever, a commissioner to stop the blue crab emergency
The rules for the installation of photovoltaic panels on agricultural land are changing. It will no longer be possible to place them on the ground, but they will have to be raised to allow agricultural activity underneath. They can be built in quarries, in areas near motorways and in those under concession to the railways. These are some of the main innovations envisaged by the Agriculture decree approved today by the Council of Ministers. On this issue “there was great serenity with my colleague Pichetto”, specifies the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, in a press conference at Palazzo Chigi.
“Let’s put an end to what is a wild installation of ground-based photovoltaics. Obviously, with pragmatism, we intervene to safeguard some areas. We have chosen to limit this ban to productive land” from which “agricultural land that is not productive” will be exempted, explains Lollobrigida. “The rules that safeguard the Pnrr funds”, concludes the minister, will not be “questioned in any way “.
DROUGHT, CDM RESOLUTES STATE OF EMERGENCY IN SICILY AND ALLOCATES 20 MLN
The government has decided in the Council of Ministers on a national state of emergency for 12 months “in relation to the serious water deficit situation underway in the territory of the Sicilian Region”. An initial allocation of 20 million euros was also approved to allow the Region to cope with the implementation of the immediate interventions. The government’s decision came on the proposal of the Minister for Civil Protection Nello Musumeci.
DROUGHT, THE POWERS OF THE COMMISSIONER STRENGTHENED
In the Agriculture decree approved today by the Council of Ministers “we strengthen the role of the commissioner for drought Nicola Dell’Acqua, who has prepared an extraordinary plan and we authorize him to carry out emergency interventions to be able to make the Italian water system more efficient”. Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida explains this in a press conference at Palazzo Chigi. “Drought every five years or so devastatingly affects our territory, in this case Sicily but it has happened to other regions. With climate change the effects risk increasing”, concludes Lollobrigida.
AGAINST SWINE FEVER THE ARMY IS COMING
Against African swine fever “we are intervening firmly with an action that also involves the use of the army with 177 units of armed forces personnel who will be available to the commissioner to operate on initiatives to combat a critical issue of health, economic and social character”. Thus the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, in a press conference at Palazzo Chigi after the conclusion of the Council of Ministers. With the decree approved today, continues Lollobrigida, “we are intervening on the emergency of African swine fever, an objective critical issue which required a strengthening of the commissioner’s powers” because “it puts the production chains at risk and not just the farms and the lives of animals”, with “thousands and thousands of pigs at risk of being killed”. The PSA impacts Italian exports, concludes the Minister of Agriculture, and “touches some of the most important areas of the country in terms of production such as Emilia and Lombardy”.
The possibility of using Civil Protection volunteer organizations to kill and capture infected animals is also foreseen.
BLUE CRAB, THE COMMISSIONER AGAINST THE EMERGENCY IS THERE
The commissioner also arrives to combat the blue crab emergency. This is provided for by the Agriculture decree approved today by the Council of Ministers. The commissioner structure chaired by the relevant Extraordinary Commissioner will have a mandate until 31 December 2026 to combat the proliferation of the blue crab and prevent the worsening of the emergency. 10 million euros are also allocated to support the implementation of a specific intervention plan to contain the blue crab launched by the Commissioner. The commissioner structure will be transversal and involves the involvement of: MASAF; BUT IF; MIT; Ministry of Tourism; Ministry of Health; Port Authorities; Interested local authorities.
AN COMMISSIONER ALSO AGAINST BRUCELLOSIS AND TUBERCULOSIS
In the Agriculture decree approved by the Government in today’s Council of Ministers, some rules are set out to combat the spread of brucellosis and tuberculosis. In particular, the establishment of a national extraordinary commissioner is envisaged, with a mandate of 24 months, extendable only once, with the aim of completing the process of eradication of bovine, buffalo, sheep, goat and bovine brucellosis on the national territory. and buffalo mozzarella, also with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of the prophylactic measures adopted by local authorities.
PARTIAL RELIEFS TO CONTRIBUTIONS FOR BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY FLOODS
The Agriculture Legislative Decree approved today by the Council of Ministers provides for social security contributions relief for agricultural workers in flooded areas. In particular, allocations are foreseen for the partial relief of social security and welfare contributions owed by employers to employees in companies located in Emilia-Romagna, Marche and Tuscany.