Agriculture Commissioner Hogan replies to Slow Food

Since November, Slow Food has been speaking for a broad coalition of civil society organizations who have been questioning the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, about his program to promote meat both inside and outside the EU.

Slow Food has now received a written reply from the Commissioner, who has agreed to meet to discuss the issues raised in the letter.

Meat production and consumption are two very topical and controversial topics. Industrial livestock farming is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions (14.5% of the total) and takes up over 70% of agricultural land, bringing with it deforestation, a loss of biodiversity, soil impoverishment and the depletion of water resources. The European Union’s objective to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must become concrete now that the Paris Agreement has come into force, as of November 4, 2016. Introducing measures that encourage the consumption and production of meat contradicts this objective and can only undermine the EU’s credibility and its commitment to tackling climate change.

Carlo Petrini, Slow Food’s founder, states: “We thank Commissioner Hogan for the answer to our message and are looking forward to meeting him to discuss the future of European food policies. As FAO ambassador in Europe for the Zero Hunger project, I believe it is fundamental that Europe be in the forefront in the battle for a sustainable and fair food system. Promoting a reduction of meat consumption in favour of higher quality must play a role in this path.”

Click here to read the reply from the Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan.