125 organisations urge new EU food strategy that values livestock

A total of 125 European organisations linked to livestock supply chains have jointly signed an appeal, coordinated by Farm Europe, addressed to the European Commission. The initiative calls for a comprehensive, science-based EU Food Strategy that recognises the value of animal protein and supports a resilient and balanced agricultural model across the continent.

Entitled “Nourishing Europe: The Importance of Animal Proteins”, the document emphasises the critical role of livestock in ensuring food security, nutritional balance, rural vitality, and environmental sustainability. It also highlights the complementarity between arable and livestock farming as a foundation for efficient and sustainable food production.

The appeal urges the European Commission to:

• Develop a holistic food strategy integrating both crop and livestock farming, grounded in scientific experimentation and ensuring fair treatment of all sectors.
• Promote life cycle-based environmental assessments of food products, to prevent misleading interpretations that unfairly penalise livestock farming and risk increasing emissions through imports.
• Support science-based nutritional evaluations that acknowledge the importance of animal-based foods for public health, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with nutritional deficiencies.

Additionally, the signatories warn that undermining EU livestock production could lead to increased dependence on imports, rising global emissions, and threaten the livelihoods of millions of European farmers. With this initiative, Farm Europe and its partners reaffirm their commitment to a productive, sustainable agricultural future where consumers have access to healthy, balanced diets backed by scientific evidence and economic pragmatism.