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FarmAnimals
European Parliament adopts promising Farm to Fork Strategy
20 October 2021
News
The European Parliament adopted by a very large majority an initiative report on the Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system, drafted by the ENVI/AGRI co-rapporteurs Anja Hazekamp (The Left, NL) and Herbert Dorfmann EPP.
With this vote (698 voting: 452 in favour, 170 against and 76 abstentions), the Parliament approved almost completely the comprehensive report by the Environment and Agriculture Committees which includes numerous helpful references to the welfare and conservation of animals, and to more sustainable food production.
There are references to:
- An extensive review of the animal welfare legislation.
- A connection of animal welfare and zoonotic diseases.
- Limiting stocking densities in fish production and better standards overall.
- The impact on animal welfare practices and use of antibiotics.
The report also:
- Acknowledges animal welfare as a pillar of sustainability.
- References to a dietary shift to more plant-based foods and acknowledges excessive consumption of meat.
- Mentions MOP+ (method of production with animal welfare indicators), higher animal welfare standards for public procurement, equivalent animal production and animal welfare standards for imported products.
Eurogroup for Animals welcomes the overall result of the Farm to Fork Strategy own initiative report and now calls on the European Commission to make the changes needed for a sustainable, animal-friendly food system.Reineke Hameleers, CEO, Eurogroup for Animals
On the negative side, the European Parliament voted in favour of an additional recital which is a weakening element to the visionary character of the report and it also approved the use of insects as an alternative protein source.
