ENSA reactive statement – Farm to Fork Strategy

The European Plant-based Foods Association (ENSA) warmly welcomes the publication of the Commission’s Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies. This sense of direction by the European Commission is even more timely as we collectively reflect on how to make our food system more resilient and more sustainable in the light of the ongoing covid-19 situation we have all been experiencing. A climate resilient agriculture and sovereign food ecosystems will also be key for the competitiveness of the European agri-food sector, as we embark in the Green Recovery.

We particularly welcome the Commission’s commitment to encourage consumers to adopt heathier and more sustainable eating habits, including more plant-based foods. The scientific consensus is indeed very clear: to remain within our planet’s boundaries, we need to rebalance our diets to include more reasonable proportions of food of animal origin, and more plant-based foods. We are pleased that the Commission did not shy away from recognising that a shift is necessary. We reiterate our commitment to playing our part in making it easy for consumers to make sustainable dietary choices. We hope that through concrete actions to come, the Farm to Fork Strategy will help establishing planetary health diets and generate significant health and environmental benefits.

Sue Garfitt, President of ENSA said: “it was time the elephant in the room be addressed! The EU cannot achieve its Green Deal ambitions if it overlooks the potential of a dietary shift to include more plant-based food on our plates.”