Certification and Added Value for Farm Productions

Since the 1990s, a large number of companies in the agricultural sector have decided to rely on quality, a challenge linked to certification systems, especially those of Protected Geographic Indication (PGI), Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), and Organic production. Since then, the public and private certifications linked to the concept of quality productions have been the engine of an economic revolution that has transformed the “typical product” from a niche sector to a sector that has driven agricultural innovation. This sector represents today a significant part of the European economy considered successful by the rest of the world. EU agro-food products, both as agricultural raw materials and final products, enjoy now an undisputed and envied reputation of the highest quality on the world market, especially for Italian products. At the same time, new patterns of food consumption and the economic crisis are also driving businesses to a new strategic repositioning. The strongest signals come from large-scale retailers and consumers who demand a real differentiation of production, with particular regard to their environmental and social impacts. This work deals with the issue of quality, providing an overview of the main quality programs active at European level with a more specific analysis of those that lead to an innovative approach to sustainability. “Quality innovation” is the challenge for the certification sector today, and sustainability aspects can be the centerpiece of this transformation.