Primary Food Processors and the EU’s agri-food chain: driving sustainability and food security [Promoted content]

9 months ago 40

As part of the update of the EU’s Industrial Strategy, the European Commission is drafting “transition pathways” for more resilient and sustainable industrial ecosystems. One of the 14 ecosystems identified by the Commission is agri-food. Here, primary food processing sectors play a crucial role.

Who are we?

Continuous commodities processing: a staple of the EU’s food security

Our industries are an essential link in the EU’s agri-food chain, connecting farmers to markets and consumers. We contribute to European food security and sovereignty by turning agricultural crops into food products and ingredients consumed by millions of EU citizens every day.

Many of the foods we make have long been staples of European diets, such as wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil, plant-based proteins, starches, and cocoa. But European primary food processors are also at the forefront of innovation: while the overall majority of our ingredients are used in food and drink, decades of research and development have helped us find increasingly innovative outlets to ensure nothing goes to waste.

A circular industry

Primary food processors use all of the agricultural raw materials processed to deliver a broad range of products: food and animal feed, but also biofuels, bioplastics, cardboard, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. We play a central role in the EU’s thriving bioeconomy.

Some primary food processing industries also extract fibres and plant-based proteins during their production process. These help make the diets of EU citizens more sustainable, healthier and more diverse.

High energy requirements

Reducing emissions remains among the foremost priorities of primary food processing industries across Europe. We are working hard to reduce our environmental footprint by making industrial processes more energy efficient and the energy that we do use renewable.

Our sectors also look after the planet by fostering biodiversity and using techniques like responsible soil management and agroforestry practices. We continue to work with the European institutions to meet the EU’s ambitious environmental goals.

What do we need?

We cannot get it done alone. Our industries are facing considerable challenges in terms of sustainable competitiveness: energy costs have increased in no relation to other producing regions of the world. The same goes for the cost of carbon – all of this while necessary investments to reduce carbon costs have risen due to higher prices for crucial construction materials such as steel. The price of agricultural raw materials has also spiked, driven by a steep increase in fertiliser prices.

So, what do our industries need from policymakers? Investments in grid infrastructure and renewable energy capacity are required to facilitate process electrification and help our sectors decarbonise. We also need support for the use of own biomass streams as a source of renewable energy generation. Legislation on carbon removals should incentivise the installation of carbon capture and storage in conjunction with bioenergy generated from agricultural residues.

Our farmers need affordable and effective alternatives to be able to comply with revised legislation on the use of plant protection products. And they need tools to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of a changing climate, such as New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). NGTs will enhance security of supply in the EU and allow our industries to remain competitive.

Finally, increasing sustainability requires investment. EU manufacturers and farmers should be compensated for their efforts to produce in environmentally and socially sustainable ways to avoid local industry being displaced by imported products that are not produced at the same standards.

Get in touch with us to discuss how we can work together on a more sustainable and resilient agri-food ecosystem.

About Primary Food Processors (PFP):

PFP is composed of