In Lomellina, rice is not merely a raw material, but a social, economic, agricultural, and cultural language. The evocative mosaic where sky and earth merge in the mirror-like waters of the rice paddies is the result of human ingenuity and patient labor, which has transformed the ancient wetlands into an unparalleled economic engine. Shaping not only the land but also society and its structures—such as the characteristic rural compounds with enclosed courtyards, known as “cascine”—these serve as the nerve centers of an organized and industrious rural life that, even today, forms the productive and social backbone of Lomellina, a region that produces 30% of Italy’s rice.
In Lomellina, there are approximately 1,500 rice farms with over 63,000 hectares dedicated to rice cultivation, and rice farming accounts for up to 90% of local agricultural production. This productive network consists largely of small-to-medium-sized, long-established farms, such as those that have chosen to join the “Lomellina Terra di Riso” project, with the goal of promoting the product’s origin and quality. Today, these businesses have decided to work together to give Lomellina rice a coordinated, recognizable, and distinct market identity through a shared brand, packaging, and marketing tools, while adhering to strict production guidelines. The packaging design emphasizes this shared identity by translating two defining elements of the region into a simple, recognizable symbol: on one hand, the rice paddy, represented by colors that change with the seasons; on the other, the castles—a widespread and defining feature that has earned Lomellina the nickname “Little Loire.”
The collective brand was created to give a voice to a diverse agricultural community that, on its own, would risk remaining invisible.
The following farms have joined this project: Cascina Alberona, Cascina Mora Bassa, Cascina Bosco Fornasara, Marta Sempio Riso, Azienda Agricola Zerbi, Azienda Agricola Massino, and Azienda Agricola Santa Maria, united to restore value to the region’s biodiversity and to represent, through the brand, a clear vision of the supply chain.
The first selection under the “Lomellina Terra di Riso” brand brings together seven representative varieties: Carnaroli in its four forms—Classic, Organic, Traditional, and Semi-Processed—the classic Vialone Nano, and the historic and revived varieties Rosa Marchetti and Lomello, with the goal of gradually incorporating other varieties grown in Lomellina, from Apollo to Iarim, from Ermes to Risrus, and even Venere and Penelope.
The project has five guiding principles: defining Lomellina as a region of origin; adopting regenerative agriculture and, consequently, farming practices aimed at protecting the soil and biodiversity; criteria for social sustainability, ranging from compliance with labor regulations to the promotion of educational farms; and finally, the centralization of processing at the Ferraris Luigi farm in Cascina Alberona, where the rice is processed according to a controlled and standardized cycle designed to ensure a final product of superior quality that is traceable and consistent, with a broken-grain percentage of less than 1%.
The Lomellina is a “Lombard Mesopotamia”: a region shaped by water, history, and agricultural ingenuity.
The Lomellina is defined first and foremost by its natural boundaries: a plain terrace nestled between the Po, Ticino, and Sesia rivers. It is this riverine identity that has shaped its landscape and destiny over the millennia, earning it the nickname “Lombard Mesopotamia.” Where once a dense network of deciduous forests, marshy areas, and sandy ridges reigned, today a landscape of water and light unfolds, where the sky is reflected in the rice paddies until it blends with the earth.
In the 15th century, under the rule of the Visconti and Sforza families, the Lomellina region reached its peak of splendor: the lords of Milan transformed the castles from defensive fortresses into stately residences, bringing the Milanese nobility with them. It was during this period that rice cultivation spread throughout this area and all of northern Italy, thanks to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, who promoted its introduction in the Ferrara region as well, and to Ludovico il Moro, who commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to reorganize the irrigation systems.
“In agriculture,” explains Luigi Ferraris, president of the association, “it takes time for seeds to grow into a harvest. Lomellina Terra di Riso stems from a shared vision that is now taking shape as an umbrella brand, and we hope it will become a point of reference for the region by involving other companies: networking is, in fact, the only way to provide recognition, a common vision, and regional appeal to a diverse group that would otherwise remain voiceless. Because Lomellina is a land of rice fields, not just rice: and it is precisely this diversity that defines its uniqueness.”
This innovation, along with that of the mulberry tree for silkworm farming, marks a radical revolution: the landscape is being redesigned to accommodate rice paddies. At the same time, this human-shaped environment has created a unique ecosystem: the rice paddies located within the protected areas of the Ticino Park and, above all, the “Risaie della Lomellina” Special Protection Area—the largest in Europe—are now home to the highest concentration of herons in Europe. Herons, night herons, and little egrets find refuge among the famous heronries crisscrossed by irrigation ditches and small streams, confirming how human activity has succeeded in maintaining a precious balance between production and natural conservation. Networking is the only way to transform an agricultural area into a shared vision capable of resonating with both the market and the community.