Agricultural machinery, refinancing incentive schemes

Last December in Rome, Agriculture Minister Lollobrigida presented a package of measures to renew the vehicle fleet. All major instruments for purchasing and upgrading mechanical equipment have been significantly refinanced. FederUnacoma: fleet renewal is essential for safety

Three different tools and a single objective: safety in agriculture. The incentive program for the purchase of next-generation machinery and the installation of protection and control devices on existing vehicles was presented on December 16^th in Rome by the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida.

The first intervention - as explained during the press conference held at the Ministry - consists of the refinancing of the ISI INAIL tender for the purchase of machinery and equipment with high safety standards. Funding for this measure, launched in 2024 with a budget of EUR 90 million, will be increased to a total of EUR 248 million.

The second intervention concerns the ISMEA Innovation Fund, already active with EUR 290 million allocated for the purchase of new-concept machinery, and now strengthened with an additional EUR 100 million for the two-year period 2026-2027, bringing the total allocation to approximately EUR 400 million.

The third intervention, with a contribution equal to 80% of the costs, finances the application of safety and protective devices on used mechanical vehicles, such as roll-bars, seat belts, audio and visual warning devices, as well as cameras to monitor operations.

This type of intervention is aimed at micro, small, and medium-sized agricultural and agro-mechanical enterprises, which - the Minister explained - is the result of a collaboration between MASAF, INAIL, ISMEA and CREA. Minister Lollobrigida focused on collaboration with institutions and organizations representing the world of agriculture and agricultural machinery, emphasizing that this relaunch of investment in the sector is the result of a concerted effort and the culmination of systematic work carried out over the past two years.

"Renewing agricultural machinery is essential for the productivity and sustainability of farming," emphasizes Mariateresa Maschio, president of the Federation of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers (FederUnacoma), commenting on the new measures, "but above all for the safety of agricultural workers, who often use obsolete and therefore dangerous machinery".

According to the Federation of Manufacturers, in the official data for 2023, INAIL recorded approximately 27,000 farm accidents, including 138 fatalities. "Workplace safety is a fundamental principle," added Mariateresa Maschio, "and it is significant that this new plan is the result of a synergy between the Ministry, the National Institute for Occupational Accidents, the Institute for Agricultural Market Services, and the Council for Agricultural Research, each contributing their own specific areas of expertise".

"Safety is a technical and legal issue, but first and foremost a cultural one," comments Simona Rapastella, director general of FederUnacoma, "and it's important that the Ministry has earmarked specific funding for its stadardization".

"Training also plays a fundamental role in safety policies," Rapastella emphasized, "and the Federation is actively involved in these with AFI Accademia, its training facility. Starting in early 2026, it will also offer seminars for farmers and technicians on the standards and practices for the safe use of agricultural machinery and equipment".