The need for plant-rich diets

The Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee and the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee adopted a joint position on the European Commission’s food policy, the Farm to Fork strategy for a "fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system".

A “population-wide shift in consumption patterns is needed,” such as “increased consumption of […] plant-based foods”, stressed the two Committees, highlighting the need to address the “overconsumption of meat” and other unhealthy products for the benefit of our health, the environment and animal welfare.

Indeed, 20 meat and dairy firms emit more greenhouse gas than Germany, Britain or France, as highlighted earlier this week by a new report by Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Friends of the Earth Europe and Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz. Scientists emphasise that urgent action to promote plant-rich diets is essential to ensure planetary and human health. This will also help reduce the immense number of animals used in farming, due to the current intensive agricultural system.

End the Cage Age

Today's report, which will be voted on by the full Parliament later in the year, also calls on the Commission to put forward legislation phasing out the use of cages for farmed animals. This echoes the call of the successful ‘End the Cage Age’ European Citizens’ Initiative, which has garnered 1.4 million verified signatures from people in all EU member states, as well as an earlier resolution by the EU Parliament on the issue and a commitment by the European Commission to turn this call into reality.