As demands for a sustainable food chain intensify, discover how the EU is leading in environmentally positive farming and production to ensure quality and traceability.
Consumer needs are evolving, with sustainability a significant factor in their purchasing decisions, despite many individuals encountering cost-of-living and time constraints.
The effects of climate change are already present. A recent survey1 indicated that 85% of participants have directly encountered the disruptive impacts of climate change. Among those asked, 32% stated they were selecting alternative foods to mitigate their environmental footprint, and respondents were willing to pay an average of 9.7% more for sustainably produced or sourced products1.
Retailers have a crucial role in effecting change and enhancing standards, but they can only ensure these qualities when there is complete assurance in the supply chain.
The ‘More Than Only Food & Drink’ campaign is a European Union (EU) initiative designed to enhance awareness among UK food businesses regarding the advantages – specifically: safety, quality, authenticity, sustainability – of European food and beverage products, as well as to deepen understanding of European production standards.
Traceability throughout the supply chain for enhanced environmental credentials
Retailers and wholesalers are in a strong position to exert influence on the entire supply chain to ensure the highest levels of safety, quality, authenticity and sustainability. However, with variations of food standards across the globe, it is not always possible to guarantee that British requirements will be met.
Across the 27 EU Member States, the rules governing traceability are robust. The General Food Law Regulation establishes that only safe food and feed can be placed on the Union market or fed to food-producing animals. It defines traceability as the ability to trace and follow food, feed, and ingredients through all stages of production, processing and distribution.
The EU is committed to being the first carbon-neutral continent. To achieve this ambitious goal, the EU has implemented stringent measures to tackle sustainability challenges comprehensively through the Green Deal.
Understanding the detrimental impact of food systems on the environment, the EU set out specific objectives for the agri-food sector to be accomplished by 2030:
Despite the considerable challenges confronting EU farmers, many have demonstrated resilience and creativity in tackling environmental concerns. The EU also provides motivation in the sense that, to receive full Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments, farmers must respect an enhanced set of requirements and standards for the environment, climate, health, animal welfare, and working conditions. Almost 90% of the EU’s cultivated land is subject to this condition, which is crucial to the adoption of sustainable farming methods.
Almost a third (32%) of the total CAP budget is attributed to voluntary actions that advance the environmental, climate and animal welfare objectives. The largest financial contribution comes from eco-schemes and environmental and climate commitments under rural development, with €44.7bn and €33.2bn respectively. The flexibility granted to Member States in designing these tools has allowed them to target specific needs in their national or regional contexts.
Some examples of these EU-supported regional schemes include:
● Portugal, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece and Slovenia planning to promote organic fertilisers as an alternative to synthetic ones;
● Germany supporting both investment and maintenance aid for agroforestry – a land management approach to combine agriculture with trees to give healthier soil, higher yields and to create vital homes for wildlife;
● Finland's initiative to maintain agricultural land with winter crops, crop residues, or cover crops to mitigate nutrient and pesticide runoff and soil erosion;
● Spain providing additional funds for sustainable grazing and mowing practices on pastures to mitigate soil deterioration and enhance biodiversity;
● A Polish ecological initiative offering substantial assistance for the improved welfare of animals.
Innovation also plays a key role in the transition to more sustainable farming practices. From advanced agricultural techniques to cleaner energy solutions, new technologies in the EU are driving sustainability forward. This includes a growing focus on organic farming and promoting Geographical Indications (GIs) that act as catalysts for sustainability in the long term through ensuring the continuous use of traditional production, processing and marketing know-how.
Jamón Ibérico de Bellota – protecting ancient traditions to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs)
A study was undertaken to review whether the quality regulations that ensure Dehesa de Extremadura PDO Iberian pigs graze free-range on acorns also reduces the carbon footprint of the livestock. The esteemed meat results from the pigs’ free-range diet of acorns in the Dehesa region, an eco-system that originates from Mediterranean forest that has supported the rearing of pigs for at least 2,000 years.
The study determined that the primary source of greenhouse gases is off-farm feed, and that the carbon sequestered in the agroforestry systems that support this kind of production, along with the smaller percentage of feed supplemented to the pigs, results in a much lower carbon footprint compared to more intensive systems.
A credible source of safe, sustainable and authentic produce
The EU ensures rigorous standards of safety, quality, and sustainability, while also guaranteeing provenance and authenticity across thousands of different products. Producers and retailers seeking comprehensive traceability, a method to diminish carbon emissions, and superior requirements for the protection of land, soil, water, air, and plant health can rely on the EU as a credible source.
