Sustainable Food Systems
On 27 May 2020, the European Commission released the Farm to Fork Strategy Communication. By the end of 2023 the European Commission is expected to publish a legislative proposal for a Sustainable Food Systems Framework. FEFAC is convinced that the European feed industry can play a key role in achieving the ambitions of more sustainable food production.
FEFAC acknowledges that the current EU food system, which has evolved over many decades becoming ever more complex, diverse and sophisticated, must be reconsidered integrating new insights and learnings which must pave the way for the development of a food system moving sustainability to the center stage while upholding the highest level of food safety. FEFAC therefore welcomes the European Commission’s continued high level ambition in this area, following the publication of the Farm to Fork Strategy in May 2020. FEFAC is convinced that the feed sector will continue playing a key role in accompanying the transition to more sustainable food systems, through innovation in uses of new feed ingredients and additives, the application of new feeding strategies inspired by the circular feed concept and via voluntary sector initiatives on responsible sourcing of feed ingredients . FEFAC believes that the EU must face the sustainability challenges in a holistic way, avoiding unintended consequences triggered by unilateral measures which could undermine its resilience and therefore food security or reduce competitiveness vis-à-vis third countries, leading to an increase of imports produced in less sustainable conditions than the present or future EU standards.
In the full FEFAC position on the development of an EU Sustainable Food Systems Framework (22_EU_8), FEFAC includes recommendations as regards baseline principles for a possible Sustainable Food System Framework Law and reflections to use the EU General Food Law as a leading reference for the development of a similar framework for sustainability. The position points to the following key aspects to be considered in priority for sustainable feed production:
- Build circularity into the framework and definition development
- Caution with imposing restrictions that impact EU production
- Make indirect food production a key responsibility for food chain actors
- The future of circular feed
- Facilitate and promote sustainability labelling in a B2B setting (pre-farm gate)
- Foster innovation and promote its uptake