Following the unanimous approval in the Veneto Regional Council of the proposed state law on recognition of the figure of the olive grower who is not a direct cultivator (which now goes to Parliament for consideration) – which we reported yesterday The debate has finally shifted from numbers to people. The focus is on those citizens who, despite having other jobs and not being agricultural entrepreneurs, have purchased or inherited olive groves and manage them with dedication. Essentially, a new professional figure is being introduced, distinct from the direct farmer and the traditional agricultural entrepreneur, because they do not carry out agricultural activity as their primary source of income and do not adopt an entrepreneurial approach, but cultivate olive groves as a secondary activity, or as a result of family tradition.
It is men and women who prune trees, carry out phytosanitary protection, harvest olives, produce oil, cut grass, work the soil and maintain the olive-growing areas in order. Their commitment it does not only generate agricultural income, but It also produces a shared environmental value: a collective benefit that is reflected in the quality of the landscape, biodiversity, and usability of the territory.
The aim is to support these olive growers with measures that include economic incentives, technical training, assistance, market access facilitation.
The provision, entitled "Provisions regarding the recognition of the role of the olive grower who is not a direct cultivator or agricultural entrepreneur who is the custodian of the olive heritage", represents a concrete and innovative step for the Italian olive oil sector. If approved at a national level, it could open new perspectives for a category that has been invisible until now, but essentialHere are some passages of the law in detail.
Precise definition
(Article 2) - The law is not limited to a symbolic recognition: precisely defines who the non-professional olive grower is and what activities qualify their role. This role can be either physical or legal, and it involves managing olive groves on a non-prevalent or non-profit basis, actively contributing to the conservation, recovery, and enhancement of the olive oil heritage.
Although not defined as an agricultural entrepreneur under the Civil Code, this individual can earn ancillary income from cultivation, without specific professional or tax obligations. The legislation essentially recognizes the social, environmental, and cultural value of those who care for olive trees, even if they do not make it their profession.
The List of Custodian Olive Growers is born
(Article 3) To give substance to this recognition, the law establishes a regional list of custodian olive growers. This is not a simple register, but an operational tool that allows members to access collaboration contracts with public bodies, to participate in agreements for the valorization of olive groves and to have priority in sustainable management projects, technical training and tourism promotion.
Inclusion in the List thus becomes a gateway to real opportunities, allowing olive grove care to become a recognized and supported activity.
The planned activities
(Article 2, paragraph 2 and Article 3, paragraph 2) The legislative text precisely identifies the activities that qualify the role of the olive grove custodian. These include: maintenance of the agricultural landscape, soil protection, protection of rural biodiversity with particular attention to local olive varieties, the fight against abandonment of the land and hydrogeological instability, and the protection of pollinators through the conservation of hedges, woods and grassy areas.
The law also promotes the sustainable management of olive groves, with priority for historical or marginal ones, and encourages technical training on pruning, plant protection and harvesting.
An important chapter is dedicated to theOleoturismo, with the possibility of organizing guided tours, tastings and cultural events linked to the olive growing tradition, transforming the olive groves into places of experience and knowledge.
Monitoring for transparency
(Article 4) To ensure transparency and effectiveness, the measure includes a monitoring and control system, managed by the Regions and Autonomous Provinces, which will verify the proper management of the olive groves and the implementation of the planned measures.
Benefits
(Article 5) Finally, to avoid impacts on public finances, a financial neutrality clause was inserted: the law will be implemented with existing resources, without any new burdens for the state. This does not mean that dedicated measures can't be implemented using resources already available to the state and regions, providing these olive growers with some economic benefits in the form of incentives or support.
Iregional councilor Alberto Bozza (Forza Italia), the promoter of the law, declared in the chamber: These olive growers are the true custodians of our olive heritage. My proposal recognizes them as key players in the conservation and enhancement of Veneto's olive groves. I will now personally monitor the process in the Chamber of Deputies, ensuring that Parliament understands the importance of this law for the future of Italian olive growing. Bozza also emphasized how the unanimous approval, even from the opposition, demonstrates the transversal nature of the issue and its relevance to the region.
With this proposal, the Veneto region is leading the way in recognizing and promoting an often overlooked but crucial figure. If Parliament confirms its proposal, Hundreds of thousands of citizens will finally be able to see their daily commitment to protecting the rural landscape recognized.
A new era is dawning for Italian olive growing, one that is more inclusive, more sustainable, and more deeply rooted in the local area.
The credit, in large part, goes to those who were able to see the hidden value behind every lovingly cared for olive tree.
