Risk management tools for Italian farmers: public support, problems and perspectives under CAP Reform

Currently there is ample discussion among EU Institutions (European Commission, European Parliament, and Member States’ governments) on the possibility of setting up a comprehen sive EU-wide framework on risk and crises in agriculture. With the changes introduced in the proposed regulations on rural development for the period 2014 - 2020, the Commission not only confirms the provisions contained in Regulation 73/2009 (placing them, however, in the multi-annual setting of the funding for actions to support rural development), but introduces a new measure, called IST (the Income Stabilization Tool), aimed at supporting risk management for farm incomes using insurance principles. This paper therefore discusses the main issues related to public intervention for risk and crisis management in agriculture, with emphasis on the main criticisms of an overall public support policy aiming to manage risk in agriculture in Italy.