EU’s New Food & Farming Plan Criticized for Ignoring Climate and Fair Pricing Solutions

The TAPP Coalition has criticized the European Commission's new food and farming policy for lacking a clear vision on how to combine competition and climate targets to achieve the 2040 and 2050 climate goals. They are concerned about the lack of plans to reduce meat and dairy-heavy diets, as well as the continuation of competition exemptions for European retail alliances, which make it difficult for farmers to get fair prices for sustainable products. The coalition calls for stronger measures for sustainable food production, such as reforming VAT on food and limiting the sale below production price for foods with high climate emissions.

On the positive side, the TAPP Coalition supports measures to reward farmers for climate-friendly agriculture, reduce the EU's dependence on imported grain for animal feed, and improve animal welfare, including banning cruel cage farming. They also welcome the introduction of a new EU "workstream" for the livestock industry and support initiatives such as the annual Food Dialogue and the promotion of local, healthy food. The coalition is part of a new advisory body to the Commission on food and agriculture policy and supports the implementation of the Consensus Agreement and the introduction of an Agri-ETS to address climate issues in the agricultural sector.