The Guardian (Free subscription) | 16/11/2009
Italy's Northern League is not just anti-immigration. It's anti-kebab. The agriculture minister, Luca Zaia, a league member, said that Italy must block the arrival of all food that had nothing to do with the country's rich agricultural heritage. What, like tomatoes, which came from Peru, or pasta, which probably arrived from China? Fired with gastronomic xenophobia, some cities have banned new ethnic...
The Guardian (Free subscription) | 15/11/2009
Kebab shops come under attack as the Northern League demands bans on foreign dishes On a cold, foggy lunchtime in Turin, Demir Ergulu is slicing hot wedges of glistening meat into oven-fresh pitta bread as hungry office workers queue up. "This is local veal, bathed in milk and minced onion, then grilled with a touch of added veal fat," said the Turkish kebab chef. "We don't touch those...
Do Bianchi (Free subscription) | 26/10/2009
On Friday, Franco and I posted the news that the U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax, and Trade Bureau (TTB) has lifted the requirement of Italian government certification for Brunello di Montalcino imported to the U.S. The lift was agreed after Italian agricultural minister Luca Zaia met with bureau administrator John Manfreda last week. I am happy to [...]
Italy Down Under (Free subscription) | 23/10/2009
Italian agriculture chief blasts food speculationUNITED NATIONS — Italian Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia called Thursday for a ban on speculation in the financial markets on the price of food . ...
Boston Globe (Free subscription) | 23/10/2009
Italian Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia called Thursday for a ban on speculation in the financial markets on the price of food.
mondosapore (Free subscription) | 22/10/2009
I spent a half-hour at an event today. It was full of wine people and hangers-on. There was a press briefing, which I missed to my undying grief, at which Italian agriculture minister Luca Zaia and pezzi grossi from Veronafiere (Vinitaly) and other lobbying entities pimped the glories of Italian agribusiness. After the press wanking I went with the flow and found a wee table to stake claim to a seat,...
PR News Wire (Free subscription) | 22/10/2009
NEW YORK, Oct. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Minister Luca Zaia, the Italian Minister of Agriculture, presided over a tasting today to mark the close of the Vinitaly World Tour USA, and took the occasion to announce plans for VINO 2010 Italian Wine Week in New York. The VINO 2010 program, created and implemented under the auspices of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development,...
IOL (Free subscription) | 02/09/2009
Should two glasses of wine disqualify someone from getting behind the wheel? Italian agricultural chief Luca Zaia says no...
San Fransisco Chronicle (Free subscription) | 01/09/2009
Should two glasses of wine disqualify someone from getting behind the wheel? Italy's agricultural minister says no _ and has ignited a storm of criticism. Minister Luca Zaia told car magazine Quattroruote this week that attempts to completely ban drinking and...
Do Bianchi (Free subscription) | 01/09/2009
Above: Italy’s agricultural minister Luca Zaia is widely recognized as having an ego the size of the world’s largest panettone. Note the signature green pocket square (a nod to his separatist, xenophobic Northern League party) and his black tie (I’ll leave the semiotic analysis to the reader but fascism is always in the eye of [...]
The Guardian (Free subscription) | 19/08/2009
Minister backs plan to accept high-quality wines and prosciutto from struggling producers Italian bank vaults may soon resemble well stocked delicatessens if a plan goes ahead to accept expensive wines and dry-cured hams as collateral on bank loans from crisis-hit producers. The idea, which was launched this week by an influential Italian bank chairman and wine producer, was backed by an Italian minister...
On the Wine Trail in Italy (Free subscription) | 09/07/2009
The recent awarding of a DOCG (or was it 2 DOCG’s') for Prosecco started it all off. I got thinking that there are several wines that have received the DOCG status, that, to me, seem ill fitting. Seeing as I started with Prosecco, let’s start there, shall we? Conegliano Valdobbiadene and Colli Asolani. Is it one DOCG or is it two? Here we have a classic case of al’Italiana, confusion...
ITALY Magazine (Free subscription) | 09/06/2009
Italy on Monday welcomed the European Commission's decision to drop plans to permit the making of rose' wine by mixing red and white wines. Italy on Monday welcomed the European Commission's decision to drop plans to permit the making of rose' wine by mixing red and white wines. ''We are glad to hear that Brussels has given up plans to authorise the blending of red and white wines to produce rose'...
Italy Down Under (Free subscription) | 21/04/2009
“We still need around an hour’s work,” said Italian Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia, indicating that the final declaration from the Group of Eight (G8) agriculture ministers meeting would be ready by midday. With the number of hungry people in the world ... On Saturday the talks were expanded to include the so-called G5 emerging economies - China, India, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa...
Italy Down Under (Free subscription) | 20/04/2009
europe G8 takes first step against food price speculation 01:06 CISON DI VALMARINO, Italy - The Group of Eight rich nations took a first step Monday towards fighting speculators who have helped push up the cost of basic foods, ... Italian Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia indicated late Sunday that the subject was a source of discord at the talks, the first-ever gathering of G8 agriculture ministers....
Videos