Report from the working group in Brussels

At the end of June, our expert Aija Rozenfelde participated in Brussels FEFAC/FEFANA/IFAH-Europe working group "Animal Nutrition and Health".

This is the first time such a working group of industries involved in the food chain has met for a debate. The initiator of the event, Pekka Pesonen, thanked everyone present for their responsiveness and sharing of experience. 70 representatives from various organizations, including EC-DG SANTE, are participating.

The food industry is the largest business in the European Union. It even surpasses the chemical industry. Speakers particularly emphasized the importance of social farming, which provides jobs for farmers and their families. It has proven itself as a sustainable and progressive industry for centuries. The biggest challenge today is to achieve the lowest possible impact of agriculture on the environment, taking into account climate change.

Regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and its impact on the environment, the representatives noted that consumers are the most emotional part of the entire food chain. Consumer awareness and education are important, for which the media plays a major role. A surprisingly large proportion of consumers are still unaware that antibiotics have not been used as growth promoters for more than a decade. Presenting a vision for the development of the industry until 2030, the speakers emphasized the importance of innovation, residue reduction, increased animal productivity, and most importantly – safety. An important task is to reduce antimicrobial resistance, not the use of antibiotics (fewer kg consumed). Losses as a result of untimely treatment of animals are enormous: both due to animal death and loss of productivity. There are still huge differences between EU countries. AMR is a political decision. More extensive investigations and studies are needed. Human medicine still does not have the same medication accounting and traceability system as farmers. AMR is a problem of human medicine, not agriculture (Gwin Jones). This was also clearly reflected in the issue of Zn (zinc). The degree of soil contamination with Zn does not correlate with the pig population. A study in the Netherlands in previous years showed that people have low AMR, but farms used to have high antibiotic consumption, which confirms the above (Tony Simon).

It is necessary to talk to consumers to educate them. The vision of the future of animal nutrition is clear: it will be multifunctional, encompassing research in veterinary medicine, husbandry, genetics, etc. It will be much more than the sum of the selected ingredients (Pedrag Persak).

The EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) also found in 2017 that animal nutrition is a preventive measure to limit AMR, which is influenced by digestibility and the quality of the processing process. And concluded: feed does not cure the animal! So, you cannot give up the use of antibiotics, but you must adhere to the principle of using them - as rarely as possible, but observing the correct dosage!

Regarding climate change, the speakers noted that countries outside the EU also think about the environment. If the requirements are different, then no regulation will work without economic interest. It is especially important to remember this in negotiations with China and the USA. The Paris Agreement provides for an emissions reduction strategy. For us, farmers, this means: focusing on feed quality and more efficient use of resources.

It is planned to organize similar discussions in the future to promote a unified strategy of sectors involved in food chains in achieving important goals.