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1161 Young Tuscans have applied to begin a new agricultural business. 2.182 operating agricultural businesses have requested contributions to help towards investing to improve the competitiveness of their companies. With these numbers, two important programs for rural development closed their registration.
Marco Remaschi
“The remarkable result shows the desire of the sector to renew itself and to introduce new energy. It also shows the availability to invest to sustain market presence”.
Thus commentated the regional assessor of agriculture, Marco Remaschi. In the first analysis, many young people between the ages of 18 and 41 have chosen agriculture for their present and future professional ames.
The regional initiative offers an important push: a 30,000 euro grant for first timers (elevated to €40,000 for companies in mountainous areas), and the possibility to receive contributions to modernize existing structures and equipment.
In an analysis of 982 applications (some of the 1162 were joint applications), we can see that thet cover all of Tuscany, with the largest number in the south of the region. There are 197 for Siena and 179 for Grosseto. These are followed by Florence (140), Pisa (105), Arezzo (97), Lucca (77), Pistoia (71), Livorno (61), Massa Carrara (44) and Prato (11).
“It is evident”, continues the assessor, “that youth is leaning towards agriculture. The Region want to support this enthusiasm: our agriculture needs to renew itself with fresh energy, innovative ides and the enthusiasm of youth. At the same time we want to help them in training and qualification for the present and the future, so they can contribute with competence and quality in the marketplace”.
There are €20 million available for these young participants and for this 2016 program. This will not be enough to answer all of the requests. For this reason, a list based on points derived from selection criteria will come out about a month from now.