On 16 July, the Central Inspectorate for the Protection of Quality and the Suppression of Fraud in Agri-Food Products (ICQRF) presented the ICQRF 2025 Activity Report with the participation of the Council of the National Association of Agronomists and Foresters (CONAF), while celebrating a historic double anniversary: the 40th anniversary of the Inspectorate’s foundation (1986-2026) and the 50th anniversary of the reorganisation of the profession and the establishment of the Association’s Council.
Last year, the ICQRF carried out 54,913 inspections across the agri-food supply chain, 10,837 analytical tests and 367,039 analytical assessments on a total of 55,314 products. Enforcement activities against illegal practices resulted in 5,559 administrative penalties, 3,411 formal warnings issued, 132 reports of offences forwarded to the judicial authorities and 497 seizures, with a total economic value exceeding 47.8 million euros.
“The Report”, said Felice Assenza, Head of the ICQRF Department, “demonstrates the vital role played by the ICQRF in supporting the national agri-food sector and in safeguarding the quality, authenticity and reputation of our products. This occasion takes on even greater significance as it coincides with the celebration of 40 years of activity: a long and important journey, characterised by a constant ability to evolve and adapt to changes in the agri-food sector and to the national, European and international policies that have accompanied its development. Over the past few decades, the agri-food sector has become increasingly central to the country’s economic, social and environmental strategies, and the ICQRF has successfully consolidated its role as an advanced system of protection, prevention and control, recognised as a benchmark even at European level. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the staff of the Inspectorate, who carry out their work every day with competence, professionalism and dedication, making a tangible contribution to safeguarding Italian agri-food excellence. Special thanks also go to our retired staff who, over the past forty years, have contributed through their commitment and experience to building the ICQRF we know today: a modern, authoritative administration that is recognised on the national and international stage in the field of agri-food controls”.
