Measures to support mountain pasture farming – 2026

This is a subsidy for mountain pasture farming, provided for under Article 24 of Provincial Law No. 4 of 28 March 2003, and in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2472.

The main objective is to support farms that practise mountain grazing, recognising the benefits of this practice for animal welfare. Mountain grazing, that is, the grazing of animals in the mountains, helps to improve animal health, reduce stress and promote the sustainable management of mountain areas.

The aid is intended to offset the additional costs incurred by farms in connection with mountain grazing, such as land rent, animal transport and pasture management.

The measure forms part of a European and provincial regulatory framework that promotes the sustainable development of agriculture and environmental protection.

For the 2026 call for applications, a budget of 1,700,000.00 euros has been allocated. This sum is intended to fund the grants provided for under the scheme.

The financial aid consists of a grant of €200.00 for each animal taken to mountain pastures.

However, the aid is granted for a maximum of 40 head of livestock per year per beneficiary. This limit has been set to ensure the fair distribution of available resources amongst farms.

Applications must be submitted before the start of the activity, i.e. before the livestock enters the mountain pasture for grazing. Applications submitted after this deadline will be deemed inadmissible.

Exclusions: The grant cannot be awarded to businesses that fall within the definition of ‘businesses in difficulty’ under European legislation.

Access to the aid is conditional upon compliance with specific commitments regarding the sustainable management of pastureland (Measure SRA08 ACA8 – Action 8.3). These include:

• Grazing must take place for a minimum period of 70 days, between 1 June and 15 September.
• A livestock density of between 0.4 LU/ha and 1.6 LU/ha must be maintained .
• It is compulsory to have dedicated staff to supervise the livestock on the mountain pastures to ensure guided grazing (occasional supervision is not permitted).
• The use of sludge and synthetic chemical fertilisers is prohibited. Only herbicides and plant protection products authorised for use in organic farming are permitted.

The aid is intended to support mountain pasture farming and is based on the eligibility criteria set out in the previous resolutions No. 748/2024 and No. 691/2025.

The following may submit an application:

• The owner of the agricultural holding.
• The Provincial Livestock Breeders’ Federation, if expressly authorised to submit the application and to collect the grant on behalf of its member.

The beneficiaries of this aid are micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) active in the primary agricultural production sector.

These enterprises must comply with the definition of an SME set out in Regulation (EU) 2022/2472. In accordance with Provincial Law No. 4/2003, these are individual agricultural enterprises or companies established for the purpose of running agricultural enterprises.

A key requirement is that applicants must have the status of ‘active farmer’, as defined by Regulation (EU) No 2021/2115, and must have an operational base in the Province of Trento.

Furthermore, beneficiaries must have a validated farm file with the Paying Agency of the Autonomous Province of Trento (APPAG) and an active farm code in the National Livestock Register Database (BDN) for cattle, located in the Province of Trento.

Enterprises that have received a recovery order following a decision by the European Commission regarding unlawful aid, and enterprises in financial difficulty, as specified in Regulation (EU) 2022/2472, are excluded from the aid.

Applications must be submitted exclusively online, using the digital procedures available on the https://srt.infotn.it portal.

To access the portal, you must first be registered (accredited) on the SRTrento website.

Signature: The application must be signed using a valid digital signature by a person authorised to represent the company. Failure to provide a signature will result in the application being deemed inadmissible.

Support: For issues regarding access to or registration on the portal, please contact the following email address: helpdesk.srtrento@provincia.tn.it.

Start of the application period: From 6 May 2026.

Deadline for submission: By 1.00 pm on 8 July 2026.