Millions of animals shot down, risks to public health: what is really going on in intensive farms?

While in Italy tractors return to the square to denounce the crisis of the agricultural sector, another emergency should worry much more: i zonotic virusesmore and more widespread in intensive farms.

According to the last alarm launched by the European Center for the Prevention and Control of Diseases (ECDC) and by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), avian influence represents a “growing threat” for public health, with a Potential risk of adapting to man and triggering new pandemics.

Faced with this scenario, Greenpeace Italia, Isde – Doctors for the Environment, Lipu, Terra! and WWF Italia relaunch the need for an ecological transition of the zootechnical systemproposing the overcoming of the model of intensive farms.

For this reason, in March 2024, they filed the bill 1760 “in addition to intensive farms” in the Chamber, which aims to transform the sector through a more sustainable agro-ecological approach. A text that, almost a year after the presentation, is still awaiting calendarization in Parliament.

Viruses and intensive farms: a vicious circle

Associations denounce an unsustainable production model, which is not only suffocating small and medium -sized farms, but FThe spread of viruses such as aviaria and pastery paste also. Diseases that, when they affect intensive farms, lead to real massacres of animals and large public expenses to try to contain the emergency, without however solving the root problem.

Going forward with the current model – explain the associations – means perpetuating a fragile and dangerous system, which damages the environment, public health and the breeders themselves. Our bill aims to change course, investing in a more sustainable and resilient agricultural sector.

The numbers are clear: from October 2024 a Today we count Over 70 outbreaks of aviaria in Italywith more than 4 million poultry affected by the virusof which beyond 2 million only in January 2025. The phenomenon is affecting in particular the provinces of Mantua, Verona and, more recently, Turin.

Even the African pig plague gives no respite: from 2022 to today they have been recorded 48 Focolas in Italian farmswith Over 100 thousand pigs demolished only 2024.

Convert the sector to avoid new emergencies

According to Vittorio Guberti, ISPRA veterinarian and European skirt -plated expert, this epidemic could be an opportunity to rethink the zootechnical system, reducing the density of animals in the farms and improving their well -being. Healthy animals, in fact, mean less diseases and less risks to public health.

And precisely in the intensive farms the consequences of the outbreaks are more devastating: the appearance of a few positive cases are demolished thousands of healthy animals, with enormous damage for breeders and a huge use of public funds for compensation.

The motions to the Municipalities to support the transition

To give strength to the bill and involve the communities affected by the impacts of intensive farms, Greenpeace, ISDE, Lipu, Terra! And WWF Italia are sending to the Municipalities one motion in support of law 1760inviting them to take a position on a question that directly concerns the health of citizens and the quality of the environment.

The law, signed by 23 parliamentarians of five political sidesproposes a plan of conversion of the sector financed with a dedicated fund, putting small farms in the center, with the aim of supporting a transition to agriculture based on agro-ecological techniques, efficient use of resources and the creation of Most Eque, which guarantee food quality and just compensation to the producers.