Integrated Farming

Integrated Farming

Integrated farming

ICEA certifies the integrated farming with the trademarks Agriqualità, Qualità Trentino, and Sistema di Qualità Nazionale di Produzione Integrata (SQNPI)

The product enhancement is based on some key points such as soil development and preparation, sowing, crop rotation, limited use of crop protection products (replaced where possible by natural methods), biodiversity, regional specificity, traceability. Integrated agriculture tends towards sustainability and food security through agricultural production systems that favour the use of resources and natural regulation mechanisms, replacing chemicals wherever possible and limiting environmental impact.

Integrated farming is disciplined by UNI 11233 scheme accredited by Accredia in compliance with ISO/IEC17065/2012 standard.

 


Agriqualità (Integrated farming Toscana region)

It certifies agri-food products, processed products for human consumption, feed and feed raw materials.

Why obtaining the certification?

  • Integrated Farming specification certifies products obtained with sustainable agricultural techniques and the prudent use of chemical synthesis products;
  • territorial trademarks from Integrated Agriculture are part of the promotional activity that local authorities carry out for the quality trademark of their territory;
  • products from Integrated Farming are required by the leading national and international distribution groups.

What it is certified

AGRIQUALITÀ is the collective trademark registered by Toscana (Tuscany) Region and governed by Regional Law No. 25 of 15 April 1999 to identify, certify and promote agri-food products produced using integrated farming techniques and the safest conservation and packaging practices.

The controls provided for by Agriqualità trademark guarantee compliance with the integrated farming specification of Toscana Region, product traceability and the absence of genetically modified organisms.

Production specifications regulate the production, storage, processing and distribution techniques of each type of product.

In addition, to define the General Principles valid for all the crops, the specifications provide Technical Sheets that specify in detail the rules to be followed for each crop.

The authorisation to use the trademark is granted by Toscana Region to all the companies applying for it, showing to be committed to comply with the standard in all the phases of the productive cycle and available to be subjected to the control system provided.

ICEA is authorised by Toscana Region to carry out inspection and certification activities for all production chains provided for by the production specifications of AGRIQUALITÀ trademark.

How to certify

The certification process is divided into the following main phases:

  1. Submission of the application for the use of Agriqualità trademark in compliance with Regional Law 25/99 of Toscana.
    The operator shall declare specifications, type of activity and the production units subject to control. All operators shall be registered with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture (CCIAA).
    The farms
    shall commit themselves to apply the integrated farming specifications on all the land and crops on the farm. Mixed holdings with conventional surface areas are not allowed.
    The processing farms shall sign cultivation and/or breeding and/or sales agreements with individual or associated farms which undertake to comply with the regulations for the use of the trademark.
  2. Initial assessment of product and production process. During the entry phase, farms shall submit a company cultivation plan with a description of the farming system and the relevant agronomic practices, a fertilisation plan drawn up by a qualified agricultural technician and analyses of the water used for irrigation to avoid salinization of the soil.
    Farms with borders at risk shall define precautionary measures to prevent contamination caused by treatments carried out on conventional crops.
    In case of livestock productions, the operator shall submit the farm management plan and the management plan for the use of livestock manure.
    Operators carrying out preparation activity shall provide a list of suppliers of organic raw materials and recipes for the preparation of all organic products for which the certification is required.
  3. Start-up inspection to verify the correct application and effectiveness of the declared measures of cultivation plans, fertilisation and other related documents. In addition, the suitability of the structures and the correct management of the company’s production processes are assessed in relation to the requirements provided by the specifications for the various sectors of activity.
  4. Issue of a Declaration of Conformity of Agriqualità branded products based on the information and data collected as part of the evaluation and verification process, and the analyses carried out on all the products for which the trademark is requested.
  5. Annual surveillance through periodic inspections and analysis planned based on a careful risk analysis aimed at confirming the maintenance of compliance conditions and the accurate and correct keeping of the necessary records required for control purposes.
    In case of dealers set up as partners (cooperatives and producer associations), ICEA carries out inspections and analyses on a representative sample of dealer’s suppliers/partners.

Qualità Trentino

It is a quality mark with the indication of origin, owned by the Autonomous Province of Trento. It has been created to identify the origin and quality of Trentino agri-food products, obtained by companies that adhere to certain specifications, through a rigorous certification process.

In addition to defining the conditions for integrated farming, the specifications impose a set of characteristics and quality standards that are more stringent and specific than those required by national and Community legislation. Independent and accredited control bodies verify compliance with the specifications.

Qualità Trentino trademark is for all producers who make quality and the link with the territory their distinctive feature.

ICEA is the body authorised by the Autonomous Province of Trento for the control of: sauerkraut, fresh carrot, cabbage and celeriac.

Certification process

The certification process is divided into the following main phases.

  1. Control request for the granting Qualità Trentino trademark. The agricultural operator declares the specifications, type of activity, production units and lands under control.
  2. Initial assessment of products and production process based on the control plan for the specific crop approved by the Province of Trento.
  3. Start-up inspection to verify the correct application of the specific crop specification.
  4. Issue of a Certificate of Conformity based on information and data collected as part of the assessment and verification process. The Certificate of Conformity refers exclusively to products that have been found to comply with the Trentino Qualità Specifications.
  5. Annual surveillance through periodic inspections and tests planned based on a careful risk analysis aimed at confirming the maintenance of compliance conditions and the accurate and correct keeping of the necessary records required for control purposes.
  6. Non-exclusive Licence to use the ‘Qualità Trentino’ Collective Trademark to Trentino Marketing S. p. A. (company of the Autonomous Province of Trento) which releases the use of the trademark.

For further information, visit the trademark website.

 


Sistema di Qualità Nazionale di Produzione Integrata (SQNPI: National Quality Scheme for Integrated Farmig)

SQNPI scheme helps vegetarian consumers to identify processed food and agri-food products available on the market produced without using ingredients resulting from animal suffering. Milk, eggs, honey, etc. are allowed.

The Sistema di Qualità Nazionale di Produzione Integrata has been created by the Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policy (Ministerial Decree, 8 May 2014 ) and consists of a binding production specification and a control system that requires the involvement of independent bodies.

The integrated production defined in the regional specifications has become the national standard recognised by operators operating in the field of public activities (Rural Development Plans, fruit and vegetable according to Common Organisation of the Markets of Fishery and Aquaculture Products (CMO), quality systems) and by private operators (distributors and processors).

The Ministry has created an information system that manages SQNPI membership and verification of compliance with the production process with regional specifications.

Two different paths are provided. The first concerns the verification of production in the field with an attestation of suitability to ensure that the agri-environmental measures necessary for payment of the aid are fulfilled. The second one is the verification of the post-harvesting, conditioning, processing and distribution processes in order to certify the transformation processes and distinguish the relevant productions with the SQNPI trademark.

Operators eligible to participate in the scheme are single or associated agricultural operators, packers, processors and distributors where the product is marketed in bulk.

For subjects other than agricultural operators, the constitution of a record file is required in accordance with the procedures provided for by the information system set up to join the SQNPI.

As far as access to the control and certification system is concerned, operators participating in the system must adopt the integrated production rules of the Region where the company headquarters (LINK) are located.

Producers who are members of interregional associations shall adopt the product specification applicable to the region in which the farm is located. Producers, who have farms in two or more regions, bordering on one another, may fully adopt the product specification for the region where the majority of such farms is based.

If such cultivation is not provided for in the product specification of the Region to which it belongs, the corresponding product specification of the neighbouring region may be adopted.

In addition to the field cultivation phase, inspections also extend to the harvesting, post-harvesting, preservation, transport, processing and distribution of the bulk product. Once the product is packaged and labelled, it is no longer required to be placed under the control system.

What is the certification process?

The certification process is divided into four main phases

  • Adhesion to the SQNPI and control request, submission of the request through the Agricultural Assistance Centres (CAA) and access to the farm file (SIAN or master data). The applicant operator shall choose the ICEA control body, which will be notified by an automatic e-mail.
  • On-site inspection: ICEA carries out the audit and sampling for analysis. The control results, audit report and the analysis reports are uploaded to the national Integrated Farming Information System (SIPI).
  • Issue of the certification following the positive outcome of the audit and the required analyses.
  • Annual surveillance through regular inspections and analyses to confirm the maintenance of compliance conditions. The certificate shall be renewed every three years.

Documents and downloadable files

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