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EU Livestockfor Sustainable

Roadmap

•TheAnimalTaskForce• European Council of Young Farmers• European Federation of Animal Science

• Elanco•TheEuropeanFeedManufacturers’Federation•InternationalFederationforAnimalHealthEurope

•ThePolishPoultryCouncilChamberofCommerce•NewcastleUniversity

In2016,EU40- thenetworkofyoungMembersof theEuropeanParliament-organiseda trilogyofdebatesentitled“SustainableEULivestock:Actions towardsanInnovative, Climate-Smart andCompetitive Future”. In 2017, EU 40 brought the participants of the debates together again, with a goal to build this Roadmap forSustainableEULivestock.TheseriesofdebatesaswellasworkoncreationofthisRoadmapwassupportedbyEU40’scorporatepartnerElancoAnimalHealth,adivisionofEliLillyandCompany.Thecontentofthedocumentreflectsconsensusfromthemembersofthegroupofstakeholderswhohadfulleditorialcontrol.ThedocumentisnotanofficialpositionofEU40.MembersoftheinformalstakeholdergrouponSustainableLivestockProductioninEurope:

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IntroductionMakingfoodproductionmoresustainableisoneofthegreatestchallengesofourtimes.Inthefaceofglobalpopulationgrowth,increaseddemandfor animal protein, and climate action commitments, we need to askourselveshowtheEUlivestocksectorcanbecomemoresustainable?How can more be produced with less? In the light of the CommonAgriculturalPolicy(CAP)reform,theneedtofindwaysforasustainablelivestockapproach in today’sEUagricultural sectorhasproven tobemoretimelyandrelevantthanever.

InordertotacklethisurgentquestionEU40organisedatrilogyofdebatesin2016entitled“SustainableEULivestock:ActionstowardsanInnovative,Climate-Smart andCompetitiveFuture”. Thedebates (Environmental Sustainability of Livestock Production, Economic and Social Pillars of Sustainable Livestock Production,andSustainable EU Livestock: The Way Forward)werehostedbyMEPsDanielDalton (ECR),FrancBogovic(EPP),MichelaGiuffrida(S&D),JasenkoSelimovic,andHannuTakkula (ALDE). Through an exchange of perspectives and solutions,participants identifiedpolicy areaswhere the livestock sector neededsupport as it needs to move towards becoming more environmentally sound,sociallyresponsibleandeconomicallyviable.

Tocontinuethemomentumofthedebates,in2017participantsandotherstakeholderscametogetherandcollaboratedtodevelopaRoadmapforSustainableEULivestock.Thisdocumentaimsathighlightinglivestock-specific actions that can contribute to a sustainable EU agriculturalsectorthroughinnovation,technology,andscience-basedsolutionsandispartofEU40’sphilosophyoffollowtothelargedebatinglineswehost.

AdamMouchtar Co-founder&ManagingDirectorofEU40

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MEPs quotes:

Wecommittedourselvestoreachingclimategoals,butwestillneedtokeepourlivestocksectorcompetitiveandevenmoreimportantlytechnologicallyanddigitallyadvanced,sothatjobscanbepreservedhereinEurope

MEP Franc Bogovič (EPP)

Itisimportantthatwehaveeffectiveinitiativessuchasthisroadmapforsustainablelivestockfarmingpolicies,whichwillhelpsupportfarmers,whilstalsoaddressingenvironmentalconcerns.Ensuringthatweinvestproperlyinfuturetechnologieswillbekey.

MEP Daniel Dalton (ECR)

More quality and more respect for the health and welfareof farm animals should not mean more bureaucracy (…)This roadmapemphasizes theneed fordiseaseprevention,responsible medicine use and affordable solutions for asustainablelivestocksector.

MEP Michela Giuffrida (S&D)

Overthenextdecades,ourplanetwillfacea historical challenge, but also a uniqueopportunity: our planet will need to be food secure. This roadmap addresses thischallengemakingacallforamoreeffectiveandknowledge-basedagriculturalsector.

Jasenko Selimovic (ALDE)

In the greenhouse gas (GHG)calculations,wemustconsiderthe carbon sequestrationachievedby livestock farmers,by including their cereal cropsand grasslands. If we do so,theGHGforanimalproductionis reduced.

MEP Hannu Takkula (ALDE)

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What is SustainableLivestock?Sustainabledevelopmentisdevelopmentthatmeetstheneedsofthepresentwithoutcompromisingtheabilityoffuturegenerationstomeettheirownneeds1.Inthecontextofagriculturalproduction,sustainableagriculturehasbeendefinedas“theefficientproductionofsafe,highqualityagriculturalproducts,inawaythatprotectsandimprovesthenaturalenvironment,thesocialandeconomicconditionsoffarmers,theiremployeesandlocalcommunities,andsafeguardsthehealthandwelfareofall farmedspecies”2.Given thisconcept, thedefinitionofsustainable livestock requiresaholisticandcross-sectorpolicyapproachthatjointlyaddressesthethreepillars

environmentally sound, socially responsible,

and economically viable.

Environmentally sound

Socially responsible

Economically viable

Sustainable livestock

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The Need for SustainabilityinEULivestockFarming

TheEuropeanUnionhasbeenattheforefrontofglobaleffortstopromotesustainableagriculture.Nonetheless, given its particular nature and the challenges it faces, the livestock sector needsspecific attention and concrete actions. When addressing sustainable livestock, policy makersshouldconsider:

• Demographic growth:Withaworldpopulationexpectedtoreach9.1billionby2050,foodproductionwillhavetoberaisedby70%3.Demographicgrowth,higheraverageincomesandchangingdietarypreferencesareexpectedtodriveanincreaseof70%inglobaldemandforlivestockproducts4overthenextthreedecades.

• Climate action:Giventhatthegloballivestocksectorrepresents14.5%ofglobalhuman-inducedGHGemissions5,buildingaclimate-smartEUlivestocksectoriscrucial.

• Economic relevance:Thelivestocksectoraccountsfor42%oftotalEUagriculturalactivity,creatingemploymentforalmost30millionpeople.GlobalgrowingdemandforanimalproteinwillparticularlyimpactEuropeanfarmersand consumer affordability. Therefore it is crucial for farmers to be cost-competitive. The global demand canalsoofferanopportunitytoincentivizeproductdifferentiationininternationalmarketsbasedonincreasedquality and sustainability.

• Cross-cutting nature:Thelivestocksectorplaysamajoreconomicrole,drivesruraldevelopment,andisapowerfulmeans to tackleclimatechange. Investing in thesustainabilityof thesectorcan lead toeconomicgrowth, foodsecurityandnutrition,climateaction6,improvedfarminganimalwelfare,scientificinnovation,andoverallincreasedcompetitiveness. Given its cross-cutting nature, adopting a holistic approach for livestock-specific measures is crucial.

• Consumer awareness: Consumer demand for sustainable products keeps growing, with a special focus onsustained animalwelfare. Politicalmeasures that support amore sustainable livestock sector go hand in handwithtransparentandefficientcommunicationtoincreasethetrustofconsumersandthecivilsocietyingeneral.Byacknowledgingtheeffortsandachievedprogressofthelivestocksector,aswellasaddressingpublicmisinformationoncurrentpractices,theEUcansupportthecontinuousimprovementoflivestockfarmsandthecontributionthatlivestockhasinruraldevelopment.

Sustainable Livestock: Howtogetthere?

The2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopmentcallsforjointactiontoachievefoodsecurityandimprovednutrition,promotesustainableagriculture,andfightclimatechange.Overthenext 15years,stakeholderswillworktogetherandthelivestocksectorhasagreatroletoplay.TheFoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNations(FAO)hasrecognizedthevaluethatlivestockcanbringindeliveringall17goals7 due to its potential contribution to food security and nutrition,economicgrowth,povertyalleviation,ruraldevelopment,andclimateaction.

Sinceitsadoption,theEUhasbeencommittedtoplayinganactiveroleateachlevel.Recentdevelopmentssuchastheongoing reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), offer a unique opportunity to align the three pillars of sustainability,toenabletheconditionstowardsastrongsustainableEUlivestocksector,andtomaximizeitscontributiontotheachievementoftheSustainableDevelopmentGoals.

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Environmentally sound Key policy drivers:

• Strengthen the role of sustainable livestock in a circular bioeconomy8.Giventhecontributionthatsustainablelivestockcanbring to a circularbioeconomy,policies should incentivize the regulationof ecological cycles, therecyclingofby-productsfromfoodcrops,theuseofmarginalland,andthepromotionoffeedefficiencygainsaswellasimprovementsinthesustainabilityprofileoffeedsources.Further,acollaborativeeconomyandbioeconomyprojectsshouldbepromoted, focusingon innovation,precision farming,environmentalmanagement, renewableenergies,andlocalfoodthatcancontributesignificantlytothesolution.

• Emphasize actions focused on building a stronger knowledge-based agricultural sector.Promotingresearchandinnovationtargetedtothelivestocksectorisfundamental.TheEUshouldencouragetheadoptionofscience-basedsolutionstoincreasethesector’sproductivityusinginputsmoreefficientlywhilereducingtheenvironmentalimpact. In this regard,policiesshould facilitate the transferofscientificknowledge to farms.Ongoing legislativedevelopmentssuchastheCAPreformrepresentawindowtosupportfarmersinadoptingtechnologyandmeetthechallengesfrommanagingenvironmentallysustainableincreasedyieldsonlessland.

• Underline the role of sustained animal health for environmental performance. Healthy animals are moreproductive, thus the resource use ismore efficient9.Given the strong link between resource use efficiency andemissionintensityperunitproduced,safeguardinganimalhealthandreducingtheshareofunproductiveanimalsin theherdcanreduceGHGemissions. Improvedanimalhealthandproductivityrequirescomprehensiveanimalwelfareandhealthprogramsthattakeintoaccountqualitydiets,cleanandcomfortablehousing,aswellasanimaldisease prevention and treatment.

• Take into account environmental qualities in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) calculations. Policies should consider carbon sequestrationachieved by livestock farmers including their cereal crops andgrasslands in theGHG calculations. By adopting this approach, thenumber of GHG estimated attributed to the livestock sector would be reduced.

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Socially Responsible• Strengthen the role that sustainable livestock has in the EU key actions for the achievement of the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDG).Fosteringsustainablelivestockcansignificantlycontributetotheachievementoffoodsecurityandimprovednutrition,promotionofsustainableagriculture(SDG2), inclusiveandsustainableeconomicgrowth(SDG8),climateaction(SDG13)andsustainableconsumptionandproductionpatterns(SDG12).Keypolicyinstruments like theCommonAgricultural Policy and the EU Food Policy should include specificmeasures forsustainablelivestock,alignedtoSDGstargetsandindicators.

• Place farmers at the core of ongoing agricultural reforms and future policies.Policiesforsustainablelivestockmuststrikeabalancebetweenthereductionofharmfulemissions,increasedprovisionofecosystemservices,andincreasedproductivity.ThisequilibriumshouldbeemphasizedintheongoingreformoftheCommonAgriculturalPolicy.Adoptingsustainabilitymeasuresshouldnotharmfarmers’competitivenessorincome;rathertheyshouldaggregatevaluetotheoutputforfarmers,ruralareas,andanimalwelfare.

• Stress the role of sustainability in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.UndertheOneHealthapproach,acollaborativeefforttoattainoptimalhealthforpeople,animalsandtheenvironmentisneeded.Ensuringwideaccesstoaffordable veterinarymedicineswhilepromoting their responsibleuseglobally is essential topromoteanimalhealthasakeydimensionofsustainablelivestock.

• Promote a predictable policy environment that can foster innovation in animal health.TheongoingReviewoftheVeterinaryMedicinesLegislationandMedicatedFeedLegislationcanserveasanopportunitytoharmonise,simplifyandmodernisetherulesthatencourageprivateandpublicinvestmentininnovationofanimalhealthproducts,andensuregreateravailabilityofanimalhealthsolutionsacrosstheEU.

• Measure animal welfare based on outcomes.Measurestoimproveandsustainanimalwelfareshouldbescience-based,reliableandrepeatable,feasibleandpractical10.Farmersshouldreceivesupport,recommendationsonbestpractices,andguidelinesforinvestingandmanagingtheirfarmsinananimal-friendlyway.

• Enhance the participation of sustainable livestock in the EU fight against food loss and waste.Giventhestronglinkbetweensustainablepatternsofproductionand the reductionof food loss,buildingasustainable livestockvaluechaincanhaveasignificant impact. Initiativessuchas theEUPlatformonFoodLossesandFoodWasteshouldenhancecross-sectoralcollaborationtoincorporatetechnologyandscience-basedsolutionstoimprovetheefficiencyoflivestockvaluechains,andthusreducefoodloss.

• Bridge the gap between the livestock sector and consumers to improve awareness.Reconnectingconsumersparticularly in urbanized areaswith the livestock sector is critical. TheCommission should incentivize livestockfarmersandotherstakeholdersinthesectortojointlycommunicateandinformconsumersabouttherealitiesofthesector,includingproductionmechanisms,improvements,sustainabilityprogress,andthetrade-offs.

• Support the development and efforts of partnerships and multi-stakeholder platforms.Alliancesthatmobilizeand share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources are crucial to achieve progress towardssustainable livestock.TheCommissionshouldsupportpre-competitivecollaboration towardssustainabilitysuchastheSustainableAgricultureInitiative(SAI)Platformthatfacilitatediscussionsandpromotetheexchangeofbestpracticestoimprovethesustainabilityacrosssupplychains.

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Economically Viable• Support livestock farmers to remain cost competitive.Policiesshouldsupport

industryoncostandtechnologyimprovements,globallevelplayingfield,bettermarketaccess,andpromotingbudgetsforinternalandexternalmarket.Further,it is important to facilitatemulti-stakeholder cooperation to build strong valuechainsthatarefocusedonmarkets.

• Promote product differentiation based on sustainability as an aggregated value. Policies should support product differentiation for sustainable livestockin internationalmarketsbasedon sustainability standards. They should aim toensurethatmarketsandconsumersrecognizesustainabilityasanaddedvaluewhileofferingaffordableproductsforEuropeanandglobalconsumers.

• Enhance access to technology focused on sustainable production systems. Farmers should be able to increase the sustainability of their productionthroughtechnologyandinnovation.Relevance,utility,costreduction, increasedcompetitivenessandeconomicreturnsshouldbeemphasizedwhenincentivizinglivestockfarmerstoadoptscience-basedsolutions.TheEUshouldsupporttheexchangeofexperiencesamongfarmersandotheractivitiestoincentivizethemtoadopttechnology,aswellaspromotingalternativestomaketechnologyavailableandaffordable.

• Promote research on perceptions and expectations of livestock production to adequately respond to consumers evolving preferences. Consumer preferencesregardingproductsthataresustainable, local,andhealthiershouldberesearched.TheEuropeanInnovationPartnershipforAgriculturalproductivityand Sustainability, Horizon 2020, and Food 2030 should address sustainablelivestockand innovativesolutions toproperly respond to thoseconcernswhilekeepingsustainableanimalbasedfoodaffordable.

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Call to Action

1. Expand incentives that enable the livestock sector to remain competitive. BysimplifyingregulationsandensuringstablepoliciesattheEuropean,regionalandnationallevel,farmersareencouragedtoplanonthelongtermcrucialinvestmentsintechnologythatcanimprovetheirsustainabilityandincreaseefficiency.

4. Adopt a holistic legislative approach to enable the development and adoption of all science-based solutions that contribute to sustainable livestock.Strikingabalancebetweenthepillarsofenvironmentallysound,sociallyresponsible,andeconomicallyviable.

3. Incentivize the uptake of technologies aimed at improving rural mobility for livestock goods. Improved mobility enables farmers to better connect withmarkets,increasestheeconomicviabilityofruralactivities,facilitatesthegrowthofSMEs,promotesinclusiveeconomicgrowth,reducesurban-ruralinequalities,makesfoodproductionchainsmoreefficientandthusreducesfoodloss.Theseimprovementsultimatelypromoteanenablingenvironmentforthedevelopmentofasustainablelivestockproductionchain.

2. Support investments in science, technology and innovation thatfocusonfosteringamoreeffectiveandknowledge-basedagriculturalsector,andsupportingthesustainabilityoftheEU’slivestocksector.Fosteringinnovationcancontributetoreducetheenvironmentalimpactoflivestockproduction,promoteanefficientuseofnaturalresources,improveanimalhealth,andwelfare,increasecompetitivenessforfarmsofallsizes,and attract young farmers.

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5. Find a common space where the livestock sector can communicate to consumers and other stakeholders its progress in sustainability,animalhealthandwelfare,throughatransparent,validated,science-based,andbalancedapproach.Itisessentialtoinformconsumersaboutsustainablelivestockandallowtheirfeedbackinordertoimprovetheperceptiontowardssustainablelivestock-byproducts.

References 1. World Commission on Environment and Development. 1987. Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.2. SustainableAgricultureInitiative(SAI)Platform.DefinitionofSustainableAgriculture.AccessedonMay10th,10.05.2015,on

http://www.saiplatform.org/sustainable-agriculture/definition 3. FAO.2009.Global Agriculture Towards2050.

http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/Issues_papers/HLEF2050_Global_Agriculture.pdf 4. Gerber,P.J.,Steinfeld,H.,Henderson,B.,Mottet,A.,Opio,C.,Dijkman,J.,Falcucci,A.&Tempio,G.2013.Tackling climate change

through livestock – A global assessment of emissions and mitigation opportunities.FoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNations(FAO),Rome.

5. Ibid.6. Ibid. 7. FoodandAgricultureOrganization.Synthesis–Livestock and the Sustainable Development Goals Global Agenda for Sustainable

Livestock. http://www.livestockdialogue.org/fileadmin/templates/res_livestock/docs/2016/Panama/FAO-AGAL_synthesis_Panama_Livestock_and_SDGs.pdf

8. Theconceptofcircularbio-economyintegratesthetraditionalapproachesofcirculareconomyandbio-economy.Bio-economyimpliesamoresustainableresourceuseatalowercostwhiledevelopingnewincomestreams,favouringtheemergenceofnewsectors,addingvaluetoproductsandboostingjobs.ForadditionalinformationseeInstituteforEuropeanEnvironmentalPolicy.2016.A circular bio-economy in the European agriculture and forestry sectors.http://www.ieep.eu/work-areas/natural-resources-and-waste/resource-use/2016/01/a-circular-bio-economy-in-the-european-agriculture-and-forestry-sectors

9. IFAH-Europeinfographic‘Healthyanimals:keytoasustainablefoodproduction’,see http://www.ifaheurope.org/ifah-media/publications/313-infographic-healthy-animals-key-to-sustainable-food-production.html

10.T.Grandin(Ed.)Improving animal welfare: a practical approach. CABI,Wallingford;2010:88–114.

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