New SLOW FOOD Campaign Launch: “Feed the Change” Puts Food at the Top of the EU Agenda for European Elections

Slow Food HQ, April 16, 2024

Slow Food is thrilled to announce the launch of its latest campaign, “Feed the Change”, aimed to elevate the importance of the transition towards sustainable food systems in the upcoming European Elections while encouraging EU citizens to use their vote to enable it.

With the European Elections just around the corner, Slow Food is committed to ensuring that sustainable food and agriculture take center stage in the political discourse. Food is not just sustenance; it is a fundamental pillar of our society, impacting our health, environment, economy, and social equity.

In the last months, recent decisions within EU politics signal a disheartening disregard for environmental concerns and the long-term sustainability of our food systems. The ongoing revision of the Common Agricultural Policy is leading to the abandonment of all its environmental ambitions, leaving European agriculture vulnerable to the worsening impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss, further endangering both farmers’ livelihoods and our planet’s health. This shows that more than ever is the time to speak up for concrete policies supporting the transition to sustainable and fair food systems in the EU.

Marta Messa, Slow Food’s Secretary General, comments: “Food is a force for positive change, as testified by our global network. In Europe, we want to make sure that food and food systems are high on the EU agenda of the next European Parliament and Commission: food impacts all aspects of sustainability, which in turn go through food. Whether we are talking about poverty, gender equality or climate action, for instance, food is fundamental to tackle those.”

Through “Feed the Change”, we aim to raise awareness about the importance of EU politics for food and agriculture, and advocate for policies that promote sustainable food systems, support local farmers, and ensure access to healthy and nutritious food for all Europeans. We believe that by putting food at the top of the EU agenda, we can create a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable future for Europe.

At the core of our campaign lies a Manifesto crafted for the upcoming EU elections, in which we outline five key political priorities to address the pressing challenges facing our food systems and the environment. These priorities will serve as a framework for our advocacy efforts and engagement with policymakers, as well as a guide for EU citizens on voting day.

In the coming weeks, we will be organizing a webinar (May 28) on the importance of the EU elections for the future of food, in collaboration with the Good Lobby. We’ll also be engaging with political stakeholders to amplify our message and mobilize support for meaningful change. Additionally, Slow Food’s network will be spearheading local initiatives across Europe, to further promote our campaign’s objectives at the grassroots level.

• On one side, as part of the Good Food Good Farming’s pan-European campaign, #VoteFutureEU, our network will be organizing, conferences, debates, farm visits and many more, in different EU countries, to raise awareness about the benefits of sustainable agrifood systems and the importance of voting for EU candidates that support them.
• On the other side, Slow Food Germany and Slow Food Italy (more information to come) will be campaigning on the (often underestimated) impact of trade policy on the European food system, and more specifically on the need to introduce mirror measures and clauses in all EU trade agreements for agrifood products. Both Slow Food’s associations have compiled reports to shed light on the disparities between EU and non-EU products through the analysis of key foodstuffs prevalent in their respective regions : beef, soy, rice and apples.

“We invite individuals, organizations, and policymakers to join us in this important effort to prioritize Good, Clean and Fair food in the European Elections, and to encourage EU citizens to go vote”, Messa concludes.  

Together, let’s make food a top priority in the European Union and work towards a future where everyone has access to Good, Clean and Fair food.

For more information about our campaign and how to get involved, please visit our dedicated web page. https://feedthechange.slowfood.com/