The main activity of the agribusiness Paul Bricius & Co. S.r.l. is the cultivation of cereals, barley in particular. In 2012, after monitoring several varieties of barley in collaboration with the Agency for Agricultural Development (Ente Sviluppo Agricolo - ESA) in Valguarnera (En) and the CREA in Acireale, it decided to undertake also the cultivation of the two-row barley which is suitable for the malt production. The agribusiness also joined the COBI in Ancona, the Italian consortium of barley and beer. Thus, it was able to control a further step of the productive process that is the transformation of barley in malt. Since 2015, it has been part of the network of farms Asprom which has the purpose of valorise the production of cereals for the human consumption as such or through their malting in order to produce flour, beer and barley coffee.
The farm is located in Nicosia (En) and deals with the agricultural cultivation and the livestock as well. Thus, it carries out a cereal-zootechnical activity; the main production is the cereals one. The land is about 60 hectares. It collaborated with the brewery 24 Baroni on some beer brewing tests using two-row barley made from malt and hops. It participated in several preparatory meetings for the launch of the project, being always interested in the GO theme.
The Irias brewery (Irias Agribusiness snc) started the business on the 14th of December 2013. It manages, as well as the brewery, a farm runned on loan that is located in Valledolmo (Pa), Alcara li Fusi e Sant’Agata di Militello districts. The land is 21,52 hectares. The main activity is the production of craft beer, whereas the agricultural activity has recently started in the lands above-mentioned. The production cycle enables the production of 500 litres of wort in 12 hours of work. Therefore, 3 days of work in a row (3 cycles) are necessary to fill in the fermentation tank of 1500 litres. In 2017 the agribusiness started the production of both barley and wheat malt making some beers with raw materials only and exclusively from its own lands.
The craft brewery 24 Baroni is a new and dynamic institution in Sicily regarding the production of craft beer (it is the only one in Enna). It’s located in the Sicilian hinterland on a high hill in Nicosia (En), a little district in the Nebrodi. The beer is produced through traditional methods such as the top-fermented and the secondary fermentation in bottle; it uses malted cereals, hops and selected yeasts. Since 2013 it has been following the development of the project “Sviluppo di una filiera ordeicola da birra in Sicilia” managed by the ESA, which is the project partner, and in collaboration with the CREA in Acireale and other private and public institutions.
The department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Environment (DI3A) of Catania University started its activity in November 2014, following the fusion of the departments DiGeSA (Department of the agricultural and environmental systems management) and DISPA (Department of the agrarian and food production science). The purpose of the DI3A is the high-quality scientific research with high social-economic impact. It organises classes about innovative topics and with learning outcomes designed to meet society and labour market requirements, in particular the agricultural and food production and the environmental protection of the Mediterranean basin.
The Agency for Agricultural Development (Ente Sviluppo Agricolo - ESA) is a non-economic instrumental body. By the SOPAT n. 47 in Valguarnera, it started a research in 2010/2011/2012 in collaboration with the CREA-ACM in Acireale and the University of Catania. The research concerned the test of the agronomic adaptability of some varieties of barley malt in the Sicilian areas. From 2010 to 2011, 18 demonstrative fields were allocated to inland areas of Sicily (Caccamo, Caltanissetta; Camporeale, Corleone, Mazzarrà, S. Andrea, Valguarnera, Nero, Polizzi Generosa, Petralia Soprana, S. Giovanni Gemini) with the active participation of several SOPAT and farms. Some varieties, such as Scarlett, Pariglia, Natural and Braemar, were compared using a uniform protocol with the respective bio-agronomic findings in order to evaluate both qualitative and quantity response. The results were encouraging and contributed to the development of the idea of characterising the grown barley in the same fields through the transformation in malt and beer. Regarding the barley transformation in malt, there was a collaboration with the COBI (Italian consortium of barley and beer) which is the only one in Italy, precisely in Ancona, and formed of a hundred of farms and craft breweries.
The farm was established in 2003 following the assignment of dr. Grazia Sicali as manager. The lands are located along the Dittaino Valley in Assoro and Enna districts. The farm is equipped with a modern fleet of machines which allows to do the cultural operations by its own vehicles except for the final transportations. The farm has gained experience in community programmes and it participated in the settlement measure for the planning 2000-06 and in some projects such as the project for capital investment (measure 121 of the PSR Sicilia 2007-13) and in the project MICERIGE developed under the measure 124 of the PSR Sicilia 2007-13. About this project, the farm took part in the transfer activities of the innovations in close collaboration with several research centres and other farms and it also contributed to the transformation activities for the qualitative and quantitative improvement concerning the cultivations of the durum wheat. It participated in the project activities of the “Fi.Sic.A - Filiera Siciliana per l’Agroenergia”, funded by the Regional Department of Agriculture and coordinated by the Research Consortium ”Gian Pietro Ballatore”. The cropping system provides for the durum and the common wheat with the grain and fodder legumes. Demonstrative fields for the cultivation of oilseeds for agri-energy use, which are a kind of Brassica carinata, have been made at the farm in order to identify the crops to be included in the rotation with cereals and to diversify the sources of income. The production diversifications are carried out in compliance with sustainability and they aim for the realisation of crops for the food, livestock and energy market.
The lands are in Aidone and Mineo districts. Aidone land, which is 681 hectares, is unified with Mineo which has 40 hectares in C.da San Cataldo and 32 hectares in C.da Favarotta. The farm is equipped with a fleet of machines which allows to do the cultural operations by its own vehicles. Contracts with seed companies (i.e. Produttori Sementi Mediterranei) are yearly stipulated for the seed reproduction. Durum and common wheats and other cereals, such as barley and oat, are cultivated in rotation with fodder legumes and bare fallow. Trials plots for the evaluation of different types of cereals take place at the farm on behalf of seed companies in collaboration with Stazione Consorziale Sperimentale di Granicoltura per la Sicilia headquartered in Caltagirone (CT). Also, the farm has made experimental fields in collaboration with Bayer and Singenta. It has gained experience in community programmes and it participated in several projects for the PSR Sicilia and other funding instruments in cooperation with research institutes, farms and the chain of cereals. It participated in the activities of the project “Fi.Sic.A. - Filiera Siciliana per l’Agroenergia” funded by the Regional Department of Agriculture and coordinated by the Research Consortium ”Gian Pietro Ballatore”. It took part in the project “Innovazione per la cerealicoltura in Sicilia - ICS” financed by the Regional Councillor for the productive activities in the specific action line 4.1.1.1 of PO FESR Sicilia 2007-13, in collaboration with the Research Consortium ”Gian Pietro Ballatore” and the CREA-SCS of Palermo. Demonstrative fields for the cultivation of oilseeds for agri-energy use, which are a kind of Brassica carinata, have been made at the farm in order to identify the crops to be included in the rotation with cereals and to diversify the sources of income. The production diversifications are carried out in compliance with sustainability and they aim for the realisation of crops for the food, livestock and energy market. In addition, experimental fields have been made at the farm in order to optimise the agronomic technique for the cultivation of the durum wheat (seeding density and time, manuring, plant protection) and to improve the commodities quality of the grain.
The Farming Cooperative Valle del Dittaino is the leader of the bakery industry in Sicily: it verticalise the production process from the cultivation to the making of baked products. It has its headquarter in Assoro (EN) and it is named after the territory in which is active. The cooperative was established in 1976. Its aim is to enhance cereals (committed by the production partners) through the storage, the transformation of wheat in semolina and the making of bread and baked products. It has 8 storage silos with the capacity of 6.000 ton; a mill with the capacity of 4ton/h for the production of re-milled durum wheat semolina and common wheat; 4 bakery machines with the making capacity of 3ton/h. The daily production is about 25.000 kg of bread. Network presence in the Sicilian market for 40 years in over than 900 shops with daily-fresh bread. In the last years started the selling in the north of Italy and abroad thanks to conservation methods in a modified atmosphere which allow a shelf life of 60 days. The cooperative has always devoted attention and resources to Research & Development. It is among the founder members of the Research Consortium ”Gian Pietro Ballatore” and it is involved in several activities in collaboration with Universities and research centres, such as technological innovative initiatives and the study of the cereal supply chain including the analysis of the market prospects. In the last years it took part in the following projects: Project “Soluzioni Innovative per la Sicurezza Alimentare nella Filiera Cerealicola - S.I.S.A.CER.” measure 4.1.1.1. PO FESR. Role: leader. Project “Alimenti funzionali e integratori nutraceutici a base di lupino bianco e derivati di agrumi - ALI.FU.U.DE.A.” measure 4.1.1.1. PO FESR. Role: leader. Project “Impiego e valutazione di fibre e sostanze nutraceutiche per l’ottenimento di prodotti da forno salutistici” measure 4.1.1.2. PO FESR. Role: leader. Project “Miglioramento quali-quantitativo della produzione di biomasse vegetali in asciutto ed irriguo finalizzate sia all’alimentazione del bestiame che ai fini energetici per l’aumento della competitività - MALENA” measure 124 PSR Sicilia 2007-13. Role: partner. Project “Miglioramento della qualità dei cereali e dei loro derivati attraverso l’utilizzo di risorse genetiche per l’aumento della competitività delle imprese - MICERIGE” measure 124 PSR Sicilia 2007-13. Role: leader. Currently, the cooperative intends to diversify the production of baked products and it is also involved in research and development programmes in order to increase the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the wheat production chain in Sicily.
CREA-IT conducts several activities in the sector of biosystems engineering and agroindustrial processing of cereals, fruit and vegetables and olives for the sustainable managing of the agro-ecosystems and the agricultural production chain. In particular, the headquarter in Rome carries out research and development activities in order to enhance the quality of pasta and baked products including the ones made from non-traditional cereals. In addition, it studies the technological innovation processes and the innovative raw materials paying attention to the products quality, in a perspective of integrated and sustainable supply chain. The main activities concern the technological, nutritional, hygiene-sanitary and agronomic aspects of cereal products. The Rome headquarter is equipped with experimental cylinder mills, micronizers, debranning and air-classified system. Also, pilot plants for pasta-making fitted out with an experimental press, as well as drying cells which are programmables for temperature and humidity parameters. The use of the technological platform for the semi-industrial transformation allows to optimise the process for the production on a vast scale in industrial systems. CREA collaborates with several Universities, public and private institutions (national and international). It’s the maker of two types of einkorn wheat “Hammurabi” and “Norberto”. Concerning the activities related to the einkorn wheat research, it participated and coordinated the following projects: Project “Monococco nel Lazio - MONELLA”; measure 124 PSR Lazio 2007-13. Role: coordinator. Project "Sviluppo tecnologico ed innovazione per la sostenibilità e competitività della cerealicoltura meridionale - ISCOCEM”; PON Research & Competitiveness 2007-13. Role: partner. Project “Grano Monococco e Celiachia”; Ministry of Health (PLV 14/2010). Role: partner. Project “Monococco per l’innovazione cerealicola e alimentare – MONICA”; Region Lombardia, project N.1018 (2006-2008). Role: partner.