The National Federation of Agriculture and Agro-food Co-operatives was founded in 1992 by the unification of four sector federations founded in the 1960's (milk, wine, fruit and vetegables and flowers, and farming) with the purpose of more efficiently and forcefully representing the interests of producer members.
Mission
The Federation outlines policies for the agriculture and agro-food sector, promoting, assisting and providing the services necessary to the development of member co-operatives and represents and assists its members vis-à-vis the authorities, the other organizations operating in the same sector and the national and EU bodies.
Membership
Fedagri is the largest Italian sectoral organization in agriculture and agro-food co-operation in terms of co-operatives, number of members as well as overall turnover of the member co-operatives.
These operate in all agricultural sectors (fruit and vegetables, market gardening, vineyards, dairy farming, zootechnics, oil, cereals and alcohol, etc.) with particular attention to the quality of products through direct control of the entire chain from production through processing, transformation to sale on domestic and foreign markets.
The member co-operatives and consortia are spread throughout Italy with a relevant concentration, in terms of economic performance, in Emilia Romagna, Trentino Alto Adige, Lombardy and the Veneto Regions where the processes of concentration of sales activities are more advanced, with affirmed brands including some market leaders in some products.
International framework
After the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957, which instituted the European Economic Community, agriculture and agro-food co-operatives in the various member states have decided, at EU level, to safeguard, with particular reference to supranational legislation, the development of member co-operatives which in Europe organize the majority of producers.
The aim was achieved by the constitution, in 1959, of COGECA - the General Committee for Agricultural and Fisheries Co-operatives of the European Union - of which Fedagri is currently a member.
President: Maurizio Gardini
e-mail: fedagri@confcooperative.it