Ahead of the inauguration of the 2025 Summer Fancy Food Show – the most important agri-food fair in the United States, for which Italy is the country partner this year – a number of Italian government officials have arrived in New York on behalf of their respective regions. One of them is Michele de Pascale, president of Emilia-Romagna region, which is perhaps one of the most represented in terms of the number of companies present among the nearly 350 that make up the Italian Pavilion. De Pascale indeed confirmed that the region, which includes famous culinary outposts like Parma and Bologna, is “one of the most influential in terms of exports to the United States.”
President de Pascale, what does it mean to be in New York representing Emilia-Romagna?
It is very important to be here. The US is not a market like any other: there are about 26 million citizens of Italian origin who eat, dress, and drive Italian. For us, they represent something irreplaceable. We are here to promote Made in Italy products, but also to send the message that we must defend free trade, transparency in the quality and origin of products, and relationships that are in the DNA of the United States as well as Italy and Europe.
In this context, where does Emilia-Romagna stand?
In recent years, the region has played a leading role in developing very important infrastructure to promote trade balance. For example, one of the two regasification plants that enable the purchase of American gas is located in Emilia-Romagna. We believe that it would be a strategic mistake to weaken and slow down trade between our countries, and therefore we will not give up this relationship.
What tools does the region make available to agri-food companies in Emilia-Romagna to support them in their exports?
“Clearly, this project and participation are supported by the region. In addition, Emilia-Romagna also encourages and promotes PDO (protected designation of origin) and PGI (protected geographical indication) products, which have a legally recognized identity in the European Union. We are working on legislation that protects our products abroad. Finally, we support the commercial strategy, so all the international promotion initiatives of our consortia see the Region playing a leading role. Exports to the United States represent around €10 billion for our territory—an enormous amount, so fundamental that without Emilia-Romagna it would not exist.”
