Organic

The organic movement is thriving in Italy. Italy leads Europe for the most organic farms, with more than 80,000 organic farms in the country. For a country with such a rich history of regional culinary pride, this focus on natural foods should come as no surprise! The first national organization to promote organic agriculture was founded in the mid-1980s, and today, there are thousands of different organic products, referred to locally as “bio,” available to the average Italian shopper.

Until not that long ago, of course, all Italian farms were “organic.” Small family farmers tended their crops without help from man-made chemicals (like pesticides) according to the same methods that had been followed for generations. Today, there are many conventional farms in Italy that use chemical shortcuts to produce more food faster, but every year, more farmers return to the organic methods that their grandparents once practiced. They’re taking a fierce pride in their home and its bounty, working to be better stewards of the land for generations to come.

Here, you’ll find some of the best organic products that Italy has to offer, from tomatoes to herbs to olive oil. They’re grown by passionate food lovers who are looking to the traditional methods of the past to preserve the beloved taste of their home, like the second-generation farmers of the Filippone family, who grow their herbs in the unspoiled majesty of Madonie regional park. Covering more than 60 square miles of mountainous terrain between Palermo and Cefalù on the island of Sicily, the park is a haven for birds, rare butterflies, and wild orchids. Filippone’s herbs are grown and harvested with minimal impact to protect the natural beauty of the park and preserve it for future generations.

When you shop from this hand-picked selection of organic products from Italy, you can rest easy in the knowledge that you’re not only getting healthy food, you’re supporting the natural biodiversity of this beautiful country—and getting the most delicious food, too!