17.01.2022
Pilot Project Started on SQNPI National Certification
An Important Step in the Direction of Sustainability
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The importance of a certificate of sustainability is already undisputed today, and in the future it will become even more important. And in coming years, this will be supported to an even degree by the market and will serve as the basis for subsidies. The Consortium of Alto Adige Wine, along with Alto Adige’s winegrowers and wineries as well as the experts from the Fruit and Winegrowing Consulting Center, the SQK Alto Adige Quality Control office, and the Laimburg Research Center all wish to prepare themselves in the most ideal way.
One important step in the direction of sustainability is achieved with the granting of the SQNPI National Certification. Within that context, that consists of a voluntary certification system for all agricultural products that are produced with integrated production techniques. The main attention will be placed upon the adherence to the chain of traceability and the selection or the use of some pesticides or lack thereof.
To accomplish this, the national guidelines (SQNPI) are currently being adapted to local conditions, such that the legal basis is present for a certification. In addition, a digital platform is planned which will record all of the data that are necessary for the certification.
This year, for the first time, Alto Adige’s winegrowers can orient themselves to national cultivation rules and collect their first experiences, but in any case external certification has still been ruled out for 2022.
In order to be able to participate in the project, the following conditions will be in force for Alto Adige’s winegrowers:
Finally, things should be ready in 2023: interested operations will be offered the opportunity by the Consortium of Alto Adige Wine to receive the SQNPI certification. But in order to do so, those operations must submit the pest control log by 2023 in digital form.
One important step in the direction of sustainability is achieved with the granting of the SQNPI National Certification. Within that context, that consists of a voluntary certification system for all agricultural products that are produced with integrated production techniques. The main attention will be placed upon the adherence to the chain of traceability and the selection or the use of some pesticides or lack thereof.
To accomplish this, the national guidelines (SQNPI) are currently being adapted to local conditions, such that the legal basis is present for a certification. In addition, a digital platform is planned which will record all of the data that are necessary for the certification.
This year, for the first time, Alto Adige’s winegrowers can orient themselves to national cultivation rules and collect their first experiences, but in any case external certification has still been ruled out for 2022.
In order to be able to participate in the project, the following conditions will be in force for Alto Adige’s winegrowers:
- Recording of all agricultural measures: The information on treatments with pesticides and herbicides, application of fertilizers, irrigation amounts, and similar statistics have to be kept in a digital company log or in paper form.
- Inspections by SQK: The information that is kept in writing under the first point will be inspected by the Alto Adige Quality Control office (SQK). Over the course of the next year, it will carry out company inspections and residue analyses.
Finally, things should be ready in 2023: interested operations will be offered the opportunity by the Consortium of Alto Adige Wine to receive the SQNPI certification. But in order to do so, those operations must submit the pest control log by 2023 in digital form.
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