European Parliament votes for more sustainable food production
Last night, MEPs voted on the European Commission's "Farm to Fork" strategy. The Farm to Fork strategy is at the heart of the European Green Deal. In this report, the Greens/EFA Group successfully advocated for the reduction of pesticides and antibiotics as well as mandatory origin labeling of all food, mandatory front of pack nutrition labeling, mandatory due diligence throughout the supply chain and a binding link between national strategic plans of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Green Deal. This strategy will ensure that food products are free from negative environmental impacts on our health, the climate as well as protecting biodiversity. The Greens/EFA Group particularly welcomes the fact that the report calls for binding targets in this report, which will support the ambitious targets for a clean, healthy, zero-pollution environment to complement the vision of the European Green Deal.
Tilly Metz MEP, Greens/EFA Group shadow rapporteur on the Farm to Fork Strategy in the Agriculture Committee, comments:
"Yesterday's vote in the European Parliament shows that we are ready for the shift to sustainable food production. This strategy is the first EU policy to take an holistic approach to food production, from soil to field to plate. The Greens/EFA Group has not only pushed through a call for concrete reduction targets for pesticide use, but has also successfully lobbied the Parliament to demand better animal welfare standards and clear targets for reducing antibiotics in livestock. Likewise, the Commission should finally make good on its promise to ban exports to third countries of pesticides that have long since been banned in the EU.
“The Common Agricultural Policy is a missed opportunity for the EU to realize its Green Deal ambitions. Even the EU Court of Auditors has found that the CAP, with its billions of dollars in subsidies, does next to nothing to protect the climate. If the CAP were fit for purpose, it could serve as a much-needed tool for the ambitious goals of the Farm to Fork Strategy. It is imperative that the strategy be firmly embedded in the CAP for the good of people and the planet."
Background:
The Farm to Fork Strategy is part of the European Green Deal and aims to drive the sustainable transformation of food production. It includes 27 measures to make the entire food chain robust and sustainable, including targets for green food production, recommendations for retailers, and food labeling measures for consumers. Food production already accounts for nearly 30% of emissions in the EU. The CAP will be voted on in the second plenary session in November.
Factsheet from the European Commission: Green Deal targets for 2030 and agricultural production studies
