In an era in which it is increasingly urgent to overcome the intensive system, yet another breeding in Italy is about to be born. And not in an isolated place but near natural reserves, rice fields and homes. The maxi structure under construction is raising a fuss of controversy Arborio, in the province of Vercelli, Which should accommodate 275,000 ovary hens, threatening ecosystems and citizens’ health.
“For decades, serious problems have been known in environmental, climatic, health, economic and ethical terms of intensive farms, yet this seems to count for nothing.-highlights Greenpeace in a statement-the works of the maxi-intensive breeding, which will rise to just 1,500 meters from the first houses of Arborio, continue: the settlement will occupy a total area of 23,800 square meters, It is the only bad news.
To complete everything, yet another absurdity: intensive breeding will be just 3 kilometers away from a natural park (blade of the Sesia) and from a natural reserve (Villarboit gauze). “
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The battle of citizens against the mega breeding
Piedmontese citizens and associations do not remain with their hands. And they are making their voices heard, through events and collected signatures: the mega intensive breeding in Arborio does not have to do.
Yesterday, Sunday 29 June 2025, the Riso Committee met in Vercelli, between via and Piazza Cavour, to demonstrate its dissent again about the construction of the maxi breeding of ovary hens of the Bruzzese company, in Arborio (VC).
Spokesman for tens of thousands of other citizens, who signed the online petition, the committee was flanked by the following other realities: part of the Intensive Trino, Greenpeace and Animal Ribellion, the opening intervention of Raffaele Vota, co-founder of the Committee. If you want to support us, here is how you can do: https://linkr.ee/comito.riso.riso.riso.riso.
Posted by Committee Riso On Mondoy, June 30, 2025
“This maxi intensive breeding under construction is located just 1,500m from the first houses of Arborio, arousing serious concern among the inhabitants who fear the consequent and obvious economic devaluation of the residences. The structure also arises among the prestigious rice fields of the territory, as well as just 3 km from a natural park and a natural reserve (respectively of the blades of the Sesia and the Garzaia of Villarboit). Opposition (rice), which has collected over 40 thousand signatures to block the project – the system is destined to locate 300,000 ovary hens, will have a total area of 23,800 m2, involving an irreversible consumption of 20,450 m2 soil which according to the management bodies of the Ticino Park and Lake Maggiore, is equivalent to the “subtraction of an area currently available for the avifauna present in the protected area”.
No maxi hall Adarborio
Here is the first official press release of the Rice Committee that firmly opposes …
Posted by Rice Committee on Tuesday, June 17, 2025
The plant also, as declared to the Province by the settlement owners, will take 23,000 m3 of water from the territory and will enter the atmosphere about 19 tons of ammonia every year, of which the odorous impact on nearby residences is not estimated. “
Building yet another breeding also means threatening the health of thousands of citizens and making pollution levels splash. The Governing Council of the Vercellese section of the ISDE, the Association of Medici for the Environment, clarifying: “The structure risks significantly increasing ammonia emissions, which, combined with nitrogen oxides and sulfur, is also inserted on the matter, is a precursor of fine particles (PM 2.5). Already the national zootechnical sector is responsible for over two thirds of the ammonia emissions, with an altitude higher than 17% of the total emissions of PM 2.5 due to farms in Italy, a percentage that reaches up to 88% in Lombardy in the Po Valley. “
Unfortunately, however, the protests are not enough and they have not been able to stop the project, which will go on.
It’s time to go beyond intensive farms
The construction of the hens breeding in Arborio represents a defeat on the ethical level, as well as at the environmental and health level. This unsustainable model is to be overcome and we must start doing it as soon as possible. Just last year the network of Greenpeace associations, WWF Italia, Isde, Terra! and Lipu, Hano presented to the Chamber of Deputies the bill “In addition to the intensive farms”, which provides for a concrete plan of reconversion of the zootechnical sector, supported by a dedicated public fund. The goal is clear: to start a transition to agriculture based on agroecological practices, responsible use of resources, production of healthy and quality food, and supply chains that respect those who work, guaranteeing a right salary to workers and businesses.
Unfortunately, however, the bill has been stopped in the agriculture commission for months, blocked for no reason. It is time for it to be discussed in Parliament: only in this way can we really start to overcome the intensive farms system and build a more just, sustainable and safe alternative for everyone.
Sources: Rice/Greenpeace Italy Committee
