FAQ/Frequently asked questions

Must all the Presidia form a community?

Yes, this is essential in order to obtain the new Slow Food Presidium logo. The communities must be formed by May 2020, and any Presidia that have not formed a community will not be allowed to use the new logo. Only Presidia with the new logo will be able to participate in Terra Madre 2020.

What is the relationship between Presidia and communities?

A Presidium arises out of the willingness of a group of producers to join a project to safeguard biodiversity. It has a local and social dimension, adheres to the principles of Slow Food and supports its activities and campaigns. This makes it already in practice a Slow Food community. The signing of the Community Founding Declaration officializes this role, puts the Presidium’s objectives down on paper and gives it an official political role within the Slow Food movement, on an equal level with other subjects like the convivia.

Does the Presidium community only include producers?

The community will comprise the producers first and foremost, but can also involve other subjects closely linked to the project (experts, chefs, journalists, institutional representatives, etc.) as long as they share the same objectives.

Can two or more Presidia join together in a single community?

No, every Presidium forms its own community, becoming in this way an active subject within Slow Food, on a level with all the others. This does not exclude the possibility that geographically close Presidia or similar categories of Presidia can create regional, national or international networks, like Slow Beans or the Madonie Presidia, to strengthen and promote their collaboration.

Must the Presidium community have a minimum of 10 members?

The Slow Food Community Founding Declaration states there must be a minimum number of 10 members, but an exception has been made for the Presidia and there is no minimum number of members for them. The concept of community however implies a collaboration between multiple people.

Can there be a Presidium with just one producer?

The experience of the first 20 years of the project has shown that managing a Presidium with only one producer is inva- riably problematic. Such a Presidium can only be established under exceptional circumstances, if justified by a serious risk of biodiversity loss (of an animal breed, plant variety or food product) and only if the producer states that they are willing from the beginning to involve other people and pass on their knowledge. As quickly as possible the Presidium must involve other producers and/or actors from the production chain and a community must be formed, otherwise the project will be suspended.

Can the producers join an association?

The Presidium producers can remain within an already-established association or can decide to form a new association. The Slow Food Presidium community does not require any official registrations.

Can the old Presidium brand continue to be used?

Yes, but only until the stock of labels with the old Slow Food Presidium brand have been used up, and in any case not beyond August 2020. Only Presidia products with the new logo will be allowed at Terra Madre 2020

Can the production protocol deviate from any of the guidelines set by Slow Food?

No, it must conform to the guidelines. In some cases it might be necessary to agree on a transition period to allow producers to fully adhere to the guidelines. In this case the protocol must describe the practices used by the producer, explain the critical issues and indicate times and methods for improving the non-compliant production phases. Work on these critical points must be part of the Presidium project and must be reported in the Community Founding Declaration.

How are narrative labels made?

The Slow Food concept of the narrative label is an important tool for transparency and promotion for producers. It does not replace the legally required label, but supports it, making it possible for consumers to learn about every aspect of the product: where it was made, how it was farmed, what processing techniques were used, etc. The label can be individual to each producer, or be collective and describe the Presidium in general, when it is not possible to make a label for each producer in a short period of time.

It is a form of self-certification that requires the direct commitment of the producer. In the case of controls by the relevant authorities, the information given on the label could be subjected to checks by officials from the Italian Central Inspecto- rate for Repression of Frauds. Having a narrative label is essential to obtaining the new Presidium logo.

Narrative labels can be produced directly by accessing a dedicated online section, through which it will be possible to obtain advice from Slow Food and consultants from the Turin Chamber of Commerce Laboratory, Slow Food’s technical partner for the labeling of Presidia products.

Once the text has been produced, it can be printed autonomously by the producer using a design of their choice. In certain cases, on request Slow Food can design the graphics for a minimal cost.