Starting from the 2025 campaign , the Ministerial Decree of 23 October 2024 officially introduced the new and specific certification specifications of the Sqnba (National Quality System for Animal Welfare), aimed at cattle and pig farms that practice grazing or free-range breeding.
This is a new feature for 2025, as for the previous campaigns (2023 and 2024), due to the unavailability of the official regulations, membership in the Sqnba was not possible and had been replaced by a transitional regulation.
The Sqnba system aims to improve the sustainability of livestock production through accredited certification that guarantees animal welfare higher than the standards required by current legislation. It is based on voluntary adherence by farmers to a specification that also includes the use of grazing . The Interministerial Decree of October 23, 2024, approved the certification requirements (specifications) for cattle and pigs within the Sqnba system.
The five approved specifications are as follows : 1. Animal welfare of cattle raised with or entirely on pasture; 2. Animal welfare of beef cattle; 3. Animal welfare of cattle on family farms; 4. Certification requirements for dairy cattle in stables; 5. Certification requirements for fattening pigs.
To be eligible for Eco 1, Level 2 payments , the farmer must adhere to a specification that requires the use of grazing . Therefore, only three of the five specifications are eligible for assistance under this eco-scheme:
The contribution provided for those who adhere to one of these three specifications will be paid following verification by the Control Bodies (CBs), including CSQA Certificazioni.
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Source: The Zootechnical Informer