The European Commission is targeting reductions to pesticide, fertiliser and antimicrobial usage as part of its 'farm to fork' strategy, aimed at making food production systems more sustainable.

A draft action plan, seen by the Irish Farmers Journal, will have far-reaching consequences for farmers as the new Commission pursues its goal of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

The next CAP is envisioned as a key tool to deliver these changes. Despite this, the strategy is spearheaded by European Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakidou and not the European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski.

Restrictions

The sustainable use of pesticides directive, which controls the use of plant protection products (PPPs), is to be revised to reduce the use of chemical pesticides and stimulate the take-up of non-chemical alternatives and low-risk pesticides.

Stricter animal welfare standards will also be developed

The Commission also wants farmers to lessen their dependence on fertilisers. The draft plan states whether necessary legislative measures will be used to reduce their use. It wants a strategy to optimise nutrient use and reduce losses along the food chain.

The draft plan sets out a number of actions to reduce the use of antimicrobials in agriculture. These include establishing a list of drugs for human use only, gathering data on their sale and use and setting requirements for animals or products exported from third countries.

Welfare

Stricter animal welfare standards will also be developed. The basic rules of CAP and rural development schemes are two areas where activity on animal welfare could be scaled up. The plan also wants to develop welfare indicators.

Existing animal welfare legislation will be subject to an evaluation and it may be tightened.

As the EU is heavily dependent on imported protein sources, the farm to fork plan wants to develop production and markets for EU-grown proteins, including plants, algae and insects. Feed labelling laws will also be revised to integrate “green-claims”.

The draft plan also sets out how farmers will be supported in making the transition. These include strengthening the system of geographical indications, developing an “EU carbon farming manual” to facilitate labelling claims and result-based payments, and bolstering farm advisory services.

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