Potatoes, 70% aid for young farmers and investments in organizations

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests is increasing the aid percentage to up to 70% for investments by potato producer organizations and for the membership of young farmers. This is established by the decree of October 7, 2026, signed by Minister Lollobrigida, published in the Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, General Series no. 258 of November 5, 2026, with official reference 26A05738. The measure amends the decree of September 27, 2023, no. 525708, which regulates the operating funds and operational programs of producer organizations and their associations in the potato sector.

The decree intervenes on the “National provisions regarding operating funds and operational programs of producer organizations and their associations in the potato sector provided for by the ‘potatoes’ sectoral intervention of the CAP Strategic Plan (PSP)”. The stated motivation is the alignment of national legislation with the changes introduced by Regulation (EU) 2026/1739 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/177. The agreement was reached within the Permanent Conference for relations between the State, the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano during the session of October 1, 2026, and the text was registered by the Court of Auditors on October 22, 2026.

The starting point is the decision, made within the PSP, to allocate part of the 3% of direct payment resources to the potato sector. The new support percentages now operate within that margin.

From 50 to 60 percent: the seven eligible cases

In Annex I, Chapter 3, second paragraph, the aid increases from 50% to 60% of the expenditure actually incurred for an operational program, or part thereof, when at least one of these conditions occurs:

• transnational producer organizations implement interventions connected to the objectives of Art. 46, letters b), e) and f) in two or more Member States;
• one or more producer organizations or associations are engaged in interventions implemented at an interprofessional level;
• the operational program concerns exclusively specific support for organic production pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/848;
• the program is implemented for the first time by an organization recognized under Regulation (EU) no. 1308/2013;
• the organization operates in one of the outermost regions;
• the program includes interventions connected to the objectives of Art. 46, letters d), e), f), i) and j);
• the program is implemented for the first time by an organization resulting from the merger of two or more recognized organizations.

The 70 percent ceiling

The new letter of Annex I introduces the 70% quota for expenditure related to the objectives of Art. 46, letters a), b) or c), under two conditions: that the expenditure concerns investments in tangible and intangible fixed assets made by young farmers or new farmers joining a recognized organization for the first time, and that such investments are carried out at their premises, within the first operational program or within three years following membership.

The 70% is also recognized in accordance with Art. 52, paragraph 7, of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, for operational programs affected in a given year by adverse climatic conditions, natural disasters, plant diseases, or infestations of harmful organisms certified by national or regional measures. In this case, the increase is granted only if losses exceed the minimum threshold of 30% of the average annual production of the previous three years, or a three-year average calculated over the previous five years excluding the highest and lowest values. To obtain the increase, organizations must submit a specific request to the region.

New definitions, flexibility, and mutualization funds

In Art. 1 of the 2023 decree, definitions are added for “young farmer,” a natural person meeting the conditions provided for in section 4.1.5 of the CSP, and “new farmer,” with reference to section 4.1.6. The new paragraph 9-bis of Art. 7 allows organizations, in exceptional and documented cases, to implement the interventions of the modification during the year before the formal application, under their own responsibility and following notification to the region, for needs related to the generalized increase in prices.

Regarding mutualization funds, Chapter 26 of Annex I allows support for administrative setup costs spread over three years, annual contributions, payments aimed at replenishing the fund after compensations to members, and initial capital. Support remains limited to costs not listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2022/126. The amendments to letters c), d), and h) apply from January 1, 2027.

Resources and controls

The measures are granted within the limits of the resources of the National Strategic Plan of the CAP 2023/2027, without new or increased burdens on public finances; the decree is transmitted to the control bodies for registration.

For associated agricultural enterprises, the practical effect is a double channel of access to increased support: the investment of the young or new farmer joining an organization for the first time and the compensation for years marked by climatic or phytosanitary events. The three-year window from membership makes the timing of entry into the social structure as decisive as the investment plan.

Official source: Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, General series no. 258 of November 5, 2026, decree of October 7, 2026 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, reference 26A05738.