An ancient passion: the large Acerra farm created by an unfairly fired worker

Michele Guaglione worked for twenty years at a food company in the "Land of Fires" area between Naples and Caserta, a symbolic area, not only in Italy, of the environmental disasters caused by illegal waste disposal and the burning of land once used for agriculture. This is also where the heart of the Campania Felix, since ancient times one of the most fertile and productive areas in the entire region.

Throughout his career as a factory worker, Michele also decided to fight for workers' rights, especially health care, and in 2021 he was fired for some criticism of the company posted on his Facebook page. But instead of wasting time complaining, Michele rolled up his sleeves and went on the offensive: on the one hand, he sued the company, filed a lawsuit for reinstatement, and won; on the other hand, it begins to lay the foundations for a completely new future, thanks to a sustainable agriculture project. 

Michele frequents associations in the Acerra area that provide assistance and support to laid-off workers, and thus finds companions for this new adventure. Together, Michele and his partners create the cooperative "Ancient Passion” which in a few years became a jewel of sustainable agriculture in the “Land of Fires” area.

The cooperative supplies itself with vegetables, primarily tomatoes, at zero kilometer, in the territory of Campania Felix, only "zero residue", that is products without pesticides and pesticide residues, and transforms them into purees, sauces, creams, pickles, then sold on the market with the brand Ancient passion, local agriculture. 

All workers who collaborate with the cooperative created by Michele Guaglione and his members are regularly employed and classified according to the provisions of the national labor contract. Hence another mission of "Ancient passion" to fight openly against all forms of gangmastering, which are very widespread in this area.