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Brussels, Oct. 30 (EFE).- The dairy sector has an “ambitious roadmap” to combat climate change and lay the groundwork for a more sustainable future, Nuria María Arribas, director general of the Spanish Interprofessional Dairy Organization (InLac), announced during the III Dairy Sustainability Forum on Wednesday.
The event, organized by InLac in Brussels under the theme “The challenge of decarbonization: The European dairy sector’s commitment to the environment and the fight against climate change,” was held as part of the “Count on European Dairy Products” campaign, co-financed by the European Union.
Arribas emphasized that “InLac will take on major commitments to reduce greenhouse gases by 55% by 2030, cut ammonia emissions by 3% each year, and promote circular economy practices, as well as soil, water, and ecosystem service quality.”
She further highlighted that the dairy sector is “firmly committed” to both consumers—providing healthy, nutritious, safe, innovative, and sustainable foods—and to the planet, adding that “every day,” the industry seeks greater efficiency with resources and the environment.
Meanwhile, Carlos Martín Óvilo, deputy head of the Animal Production Unit at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture, said that ensuring a sustainable and competitive EU dairy sector was a strategic objective.
“From a social and economic standpoint, livestock farming is vital to providing essential food and other products to citizens and maintaining the vitality of rural areas. However, the EU livestock sector currently faces significant challenges, including environmental sustainability,” Martín Óvilo added.
Also speaking in the forum’s inaugural session, Tomás García Azcárate, an agricultural economist and member of the Dairy Sustainability Committee for the “Count on European Dairy Products” campaign, noted that “Europe offers quality products, a source of enjoyment for consumers, and with the world’s highest health standards.”
A debate followed, featuring Santiago Campos of Asaja Brussels; Paula de Vera, senior policy advisor for COPA-Cogeca; and Jaume Bernis, livestock sector leader at COAG and rapporteur on the European Economic and Social Committee’s Opinion NAT/918 on Animal Welfare in Live Animal Transport.
The panel discussed the agricultural sector’s situation, focusing particularly on the impact of the upcoming animal welfare package, trade agreements with third countries, and the European Green Deal, which, as Campos stated, is based “solely on environmental sustainability regulations.”
De Vera, representing an organization of farming and cooperative professionals, argued that animal welfare standards should be grounded in scientific evidence while aligning with other EU policies, such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
In her view, “a thorough socio-economic study is essential to prevent small and medium-sized farms from being disproportionately affected by new bureaucratic requirements and additional costs.”
Finally, Jaume Bernis asserted that “farmers have a vested interest in ensuring their animals travel with maximum welfare,” but he believes any change should be accompanied by a comprehensive impact study addressing the economic, social, and environmental costs of the proposed measures.
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