«Wrong drugs used in animal breeding, if they become part of human nutrition, can originate carcinogenic forms or give rise to dangerous phenomena of resistance to antibiotics». The analysis that Dr. Antonio Cuccurese, manager of the veterinary service of the Ausl company, traces regarding the mutagenic effects of some substances that could be found in the meat or in the milk of cattle if the farmers did not correctly comply with all the rules is decidedly worrying and the precautions established by specific legislation. In fact, his answer clearly fits the maxi-investigation launched three years ago by the Environmental Police Investigative Unit of the Reggio Forestry Corps, currently coordinated by the Prosecutor of Mantua, Antonio Condorelli. The investigation led to the entry in the register of suspects of as many as 201 breeders from four provinces, seventy of whom from Reggio, with various charges. In addition to Reggio and Mantua, agricultural operators from Parma and Piacenza are involved. The disputed facts range from the mistreatment of animals to the administration of expired or irregularly stored drugs to ending up with receiving stolen goods. Buying drugs “off the books” is actually more convenient and much less expensive.
The non-invoicing excludes traceability and makes impossible the checks which are instead mandatory for each item intended for human consumption.
«Evidently – concludes Dr. Cuccurese – if what is disputed is true, the farmers have not even realized the uneconomic nature of the operation due to the high risk of a defective outcome of the final food product with the need to make substantial waste. In fact, if the microbial population of milk and meat does not develop in a positive way, the maturation of our typical products such as Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and hams will fail. It is a practice that must be absolutely abandoned.
The Reggio breeders currently under investigation are holders of a
