European campaign for the benefit of livestock and meat
Cooperatives and farmers has launched a key to highlight the many benefits of the livestock sector and meat from the EU for growth and employment, the dynamism of rural areas and a balanced diet campaign. Demanding production requirements that European producers must comply.
President Cup, Martin Merrild, said that “the nutritional benefits of eating beef, pork, lamb, poultry, goat, rabbit and eggs are more than demonstrated, as they offer the consumer a good source of protein in their diet. Livestock is also critical to the economies of rural areas, where often there is no alternative in terms of employment. However, we face more and more challenges, to prices of raw materials at record lows and costs of inputs continue to rise. On the other hand, the EU is accelerating trade liberalization negotiations with the Latin American trade bloc Mercosur; which according to all indications, seriously affect the agricultural sector in the Union and in particular, the beef sector ”
However, imports from these countries do not comply, as explained Merrild, with stringent European standards for environment, safety and animal welfare. Therefore, this campaign, which will last two years, aims to generate greater awareness around our exacting production standards and emphasize the many benefits that the livestock sector in the EU brings in terms of employment and growth, as well as environmental; not to mention the nutritional benefits of European meat consumption, thanks to new easy to prepare recipes to banish certain preconceived ideas. ”
Vice President of Cogeca, Thomas Memmert, stressed the benefits of agricultural cooperatives in helping farmers to pool their resources, to get a better price for their products and make better use of manure nutrients. The meat sector is part of the EU strategy on the bioeconomy. In addition, agricultural cooperatives advise farmers on how to improve their economic, environmental and social performance, by defining action plans able to optimize production standards. It has also highlighted the fact that, under the pressure exerted by a few dealers, it is necessary to combat unfair practices in the food chain so that farmers get better remuneration for their products.
During the opening ceremony were presented new documents that shed light on the benefits of beef and pork sectors and collecting new initiatives that are taking place European producers and agricultural cooperatives to ensure a greener economy and a sector more viable. For example, the beef sector maintains permanent pasture, which in turn maintains a high degree of biodiversity. Meanwhile, in the pig sector, Copa and Cogeca are carrying out voluntary initiatives to ensure animal welfare standards even more demanding, in collaboration with European groupings leaders of the food chain, veterinary, land transport and animal welfare.
Also during the ceremony were presented new recipes, easy to prepare, they are cooked live, and have tasted tasty preparations of several top chefs.
Interporc has presented an excellent ham, made from extensive breeding pigs fed a special diet. Meanwhile, AHDB, along with Interbev and Bord Bia, presented the “Tasty Lamb Easy Fun” campaign to publicize new ways of cooking lamb easily. The French association of cattle and Interbev have presented their steak, from specialized cattle, which forms the backbone of rural areas.
Source: Copa-Cogeca
Copa-Cogeca, livestock, meat, EU, Interporc, promotion campaign
