Contribution to organic production method certification costs

For theyear 2026 , the deadlines for submitting the application for the contribution for the expenses incurred for the control and certification of the organic production process are reopened.

The contribution is granted for a maximum period of five consecutive years, calculated from the date of the first notification submitted in the National Agricultural Information System (SIAN) by the organic operator, also taking into account the years preceding the year in which the application is submitted.

Expenditure incurred after 1 January 2026 will also be eligible, even before the application is submitted.

Expenses incurred for the certification process are eligible up to a maximum of € 2,000.00 for organic operators registered in the "producers" section and € 5,000.00 for operators registered in the "preparers" and "alpine pasture managers" sections. For the certification of groups of operators, the maximum eligible expenditure limit is defined by means of a fairness analysis resulting from a competitive comparison with 3 cost estimates.

The commitments for the applicant are:

1. adhere to the organic system,

if, during the course of the year, the grant recipient withdraws from the control system, the following criteria apply

- if the stay in the system is greater than or equal to 270 days, the contribution due is paid in full;

- if the permanence in the system in the reference year is less than or equal to 180 days the contribution due is entirely withdrawn;

- if the withdrawal from the system takes place after 180 days and before 270 days, the contribution is recalculated and prorated according to the time of stay in the system;

- in the case of permanent pasture only, if the permanence in the reference year is less than 153 days, the contribution is entirely withdrawn;

2. not to apply for/obtain other public subsidies for the certification costs covered by these criteria

3. allow the regular performance of on-the-spot checks by the persons in charge of control.

Failure to comply with the commitments under points 2. and 3. above shall entail the total forfeiture of the grant and the repayment of any sums received, plus interest calculated at the applicable legal rate.

Beneficiaries are operators registered in the provincial list of organic operators in the sections of producers and preparers in the Organic Information System.

In addition, for the certification of groups of operators, the subjects envisaged by Article 2 of Provincial Law 4/2003 representing organic operators may apply.

Businesses may apply for a contribution for the costs relating to the certification of production obtained on land or livestock farms as well as preparation/processing sites located in the province of Trento, provided that they hold a business file in the province of Trento.

For the year 2026, applications submitted by operators whose first notification as an organic operator in SIAN was made after 1 January 2021 will be considered admissible, provided that for that year the organic operator has not already benefited from the contribution on the call for applications of the corresponding year.

The application must be submitted to the Rural Development Policy Service through the SRTrento portal by the organic operators, either directly or through one of the Agricultural Assistance Centres (CAA) authorised to do so.

Following the granting of the contribution by the Director of the Service with a determination, the user will be required to submit an application for settlement. The reporting deadline runs from 1 December to 31 January following the end of the financial year of the reference year.

The application (already on the SrTrento IT platform) must contain:

(a) name and size of the applicant enterprise

(b) unique farm identification code (CUAA);

(c) indication of the activity (producer, preparer);

(d) location of the activity

e) estimated amount of control costs for all operators; with reference to the certification of groups of operators, 3 cost estimates must be attached to support the estimated amount;

f) Control Body (CB) chosen;

g) indication as to whether or not an invoice is present at the time of submission of the application as proof of expenditure already incurred.

Applications submitted after the deadline will be excluded from access to the grant.

The eligibility enquiry and the assessment of the applications is the responsibility of the Organic Production Office of the Rural Development Policy Service.

A specific decision by the Director of the Rural Development Policy Service will provide for the granting of the contribution.

For applications that are deemed ineligible, the person in charge of the procedure will give appropriate notification.