Meat processing sector 'concerned' about impact of EU policies on food security
There are "many headwinds" facing the European livestock and meat sector.
The European meat processing sector is "concerned" about the impact of EU policies on food security and rural areas, a conference will hear this week.
The European Livestock and Meat Trades Union annual conference and AGM kicked off in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Wednesday and will continue over the course of the next two days.
The event is being co-hosted by Bord Bia and Meat Industry Ireland.
Secretary general of the union Karsten Maier said that this conference - which is the 70th - takes place in the context of "many headwinds facing the European livestock and meat sector".
"Having emerged from the global Covid-19 pandemic in recent years, our sector now faces major increases in business costs such as energy and transport, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine," Mr Maier said.
In the midst of these challenging times, he said that the sector is "ready to reinforce our role in sustainable food systems, and we emphasise our new environmental footprint work", along with "continued intensive efforts to further improve animal welfare" along the supply chain.
Bord Bia director of meat, food and beverage John Murray said that the two key themes of the conference this year are sustainable nutrition, and food security - "issues that we know will dominate the meat industry for years to come".
"In the context of our growing global population, it is imperative that the European meat industry continues to strive to further reduce the emissions associated with its production," Mr Murray said.
Meat Industry Ireland chairman Philip Carroll added: "We strongly believe that food should be produced in those countries and regions where it is best suited to doing so, whilst still working towards reducing the emission intensity of our production.
"The European meat processing sector has strong sustainability credentials and the European Commission must work with and support the sector to achieve our sustainability targets as outlined in the Farm to Fork strategy, while not undermining future food and nutrition security."
The European Livestock and Meat Trades Union is the European voice of national federations representing the meat industry (slaughterhouses and cutting plants), meat and livestock traders.
Meanwhile, the International Summit on the Societal Role of Meat also continues today, hosted by Teagasc at its food research centre in Ashtown, Co Dublin.
Minister of State Martin Heydon opened the event on Wednesday.
He said that it has "never been more important to move forward with accurate and scientific understanding of meat’s critical role in society".
"Ireland welcomes the scientific effort embodied in the conference, and its contribution to global solutions that ensure meat drives solutions for a healthy future," Mr Heydon added.
