Use of resources and development and organic livestock farming in Italy: first results of an ongoing study

The development of livestock rearing is a basic aspect of farming. In very recent years, organic farms in Italy have begun to specialise in dairy and beef cattle, sheep, goats and other livestock rearing. The main products are fresh milk for the retail market, milk to be processed into fresh and ripened cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano, ewe’s milk cheese, mixed types of cheese) and beef. This study presents the first results of a larger research project currently in progress that sets out to identify the structural, production, entrepreneurial and marketing status (farm capital, agricultural capital, labour and organisation) of farms in four northern Italian regions: Emilia Romagna, Veneto, Tuscany and the Marches. The data collected covered 25 organic farms mainly in the Emilia Romagna region and dealt with areas such as the use of natural resources, capital and some of the main material and equipment purchased on the market. Factors limiting organic livestock rearing in Italy are discussed and practical conclusions drawn.