With an acute sense of seasonality and the availability of ingredients, chefs are well aware of the impact of climate change on food safety. The EU’s robust approach to sustainable food production and its quality system designed to protect the rural economy can provide the hospitality industry with high-quality ingredients that meet its sustainability criteria.

While many chefs will always champion the produce grown on their home shores, the UK does not produce anywhere near the food required to meet their needs for the majority of restaurants. For example, replacing equivalent imported beef products would require doubling the UK’s livestock population¹.

When it comes to operating more sustainably, there are initiatives and resources to help chefs around the world achieve their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)². But without the necessary regulations, much of this change is still voluntary.

A commitment to ambitious sustainability goals

The European Union (EU) has committed to becoming the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050. Its strategy to achieve this includes converting agricultural land to organic farming, reducing fertilizers, pesticides, microbial agents and antibiotics, lowering methane emissions and improving biodiversity.

Behind the strategy lies a significant commitment to make the systematic changes needed to benefit the entire food system. In order to receive full CAP payments, farmers must respect an improved set of environmental, climate, health, animal welfare and working conditions requirements and standards³. Almost 90% of the EU’s cultivated land is covered by this condition, which is crucial for the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. The plans allocate 32% of the total CAP budget to voluntary actions that promote environmental, climate and animal welfare objectives. The flexibility given to Member States in the design of these tools has allowed them to target specific needs in their national or regional contexts.

Food industry expert and adviser to the “More Than Only Food & Drink” campaign, Simon Atkins, recently presented the EU’s sustainability strategy at The catering mans sustainability summit. Simon spoke of the growth of regenerative farming practices that reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, by using cover and companion crops, promoting a more sustainable agricultural ecosystem.

According to Simon, “Innovation also plays a key role in the transition to more sustainable agricultural practices. From advanced farming techniques to cleaner energy solutions, new technologies are driving sustainability forward. This includes a growing focus on organic farming and the promotion of Geographical Indications (GIs) which act as catalysts for long-term sustainability by ensuring the continuous use of traditional production, processing and marketing know-how.”

The role of the EU’s Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indication systems

The history of EU food and drink with protected origin dates back to the nineteenth century, when champagne wines were protected by European law. The Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indication systems, denoted by red and yellow and blue and yellow symbols, were established in 1992⁴. These trademarks aim to protect the names of specific products to promote their unique characteristics, linked to their geographical origin as well as traditional production techniques.

In terms of EU agriculture, PDO and PGI labels encourage sustainable farming practices and protect the rural economy. This connection to local climatic and environmental conditions allows objects to be produced in the most suitable environment, resulting in more efficient cultivation practices that use fewer external inputs such as water, electricity and fertilizers.

These geographical indications encourage producers to use environmentally friendly methods while preserving traditional production techniques that have been perfected over centuries to make the most of their regions’ natural resources and terroir. PDO and PGI labels serve to sustain jobs and economic activity in rural areas by supporting local farmers and their traditional methods of food production, contributing to long-term sustainability in all respects.

EU organic

An important system in the EU’s quest to become more sustainable is EU Organic. In order to be labeled as EU organic, the farmer must use only organic animal feed, an absolute ban on GMOs and strict restrictions on the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and antibiotics. A product can only carry this label if its ingredients are at least 95% organically grown and if the other 5% meet additional strict conditions.

SUBs are driving change throughout the supply chain

France’s Comté PDO and Italy’s Grana Padano PDO cheeses were chosen for the LIFE Tough Get Going (TTTG) project because of their high sales volume and centuries-old production methods. The project was founded in 2017 to investigate cheese production in France and Italy, identify solutions to improve supply chain efficiency, and assess and reduce each cheese’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF).

LIFE TTGG brought together universities, start-ups, manufacturing companies, national institutions and research organizations to improve the production efficiency of both cheeses, transfer the results to Europe, reduce environmental impact and achieve more sustainable production and consumption.

The software was used to create a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database that streamlines PEF calculations and an Environmental Decision Support System (EDSS). EDSS is available to producers of EU hard and semi-hard PDO cheeses made from cow’s milk to enable them to calculate their product’s PEF and assess their own environmental performance⁵.

Quality systems that protect long-term sustainable practices

Europe is already a leader in producing high quality, safe, authentic and sustainable food. With PDO, SGB and the EU Organic guarantee, chefs and catering companies can be sure that EU producers are working towards the same sustainable development goals as they are.

For more information on the EU’s More Than Only Food & Drink campaign, visit: enjoy-its-from-europe.campaign.europa.eu/united-kingdom/en

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