Around 1,000 Italian farmers converged on Milan on Tuesday, March 11, 2026, in a major demonstration organized by Coldiretti’s Lombardy branch to highlight the escalating financial burdens facing the agricultural sector amid global energy volatility and international crises.
The protest took place outside the headquarters of the Lombardy Regional Administration, where approximately 30 tractors lined up in a symbolic show of force. Demonstrators carried banners with messages including:
“No food without agriculture”
“Free market with equal rules”
“Stop speculation in the meat supply chain”
Some protesters lit flares, while others set up a large chessboard installation in the square, with pieces representing the multiple challenges — from high input costs to wildlife damage — threatening Italian farming.
Coldiretti official Giacomo Guffanti addressed the crowd, stressing the profession’s dignity and the urgent need for institutional support:
“This is not a hobby; it is a profession. We do this work because we love it and are passionate about it. Today we are asking the regional administration to support farmers and stand by the agricultural sector.”
Gianfranco Comicioli, head of Coldiretti Lombardy, detailed the severe cost pressures driving the protest:
“Fertilizer prices are now 49% higher than before, and energy costs have risen 66%. These tensions affect production, prices, and ultimately international trade.”
Farmers from mountainous regions also voiced specific grievances, calling for greater assistance in managing wildlife (particularly wild boar and wolves damaging crops and livestock) and easing logistical and operational difficulties in challenging terrain.
The demonstration reflects broader discontent among Italian agricultural producers, who have faced compounded challenges from:
- Sharp increases in energy and fertilizer costs (exacerbated by the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran and resulting global energy market turbulence)
- Supply chain speculation and unequal market rules
- Climate-related pressures and wildlife overpopulation
- Reduced profitability amid rising production expenses
Coldiretti has repeatedly warned that without targeted relief measures — including subsidies for energy and inputs, fairer trade policies, and stronger wildlife control programs — many family-run farms risk closure, threatening Italy’s food security and rural economies.
The Milan rally is part of a series of farmer actions across Italy and Europe in recent months, as agricultural communities push for urgent policy interventions to ensure the sector’s sustainability. Regional and national authorities have acknowledged the concerns, with discussions ongoing about potential support packages, though farmers insist more immediate and concrete action is needed.
