EU Promoting Food Sales, Organics and Happy Animals
- December 13th, 2006
- Posted by 7thmin
European food and wine sellers are to get a big boost for promotion of their products on major world markets – with a fifty percent EU subsidy for costs of the campaign.
Ten programs have been approved for giving information about agricultural products and promoting their sale, worth a total of EU9.1-million (A$15.36-million; Dcerates) for the European Union’s half share.
The promoters are from Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal.
The target markets are Canada, China, India, Japan and the United States.
An announcement from the European Commission listed the products as follows:
Cyprus wine; Germany milk products, grains, meat, fruit and vegetables; Greece wine and processed fruit; Italy products from organic farming, and olive oil; Poland meat; Portugal wine, vinegar and an “alcohol” category, and the Netherlands products listed as “plant”.
FOOD BETTER AND HEALTHIER SAYS RESEARCH
In the meantime the European Commission has published research findings that have identified definite benefits from certain categories of food being studied and produced.
It says a Brussels conference to discuss the EU’s Sixth Research Framework Program (12.12.06) was told that scientific research had demonstrated positive effects of agricultural production systems on foodstuffs.
Findings in support of higher nutritional value in organically produced food showed organic milk was higher than other milk in Omega-3 acids (by 60%), antioxidants and vitamins (by 20%).
Beneficial presence of Omega-3 fatty acids in fish and seafood had been demonstrated by EU funded research. White fish was having a n anti-inflammatory effect preventing colon and intestinal cancers; fish diets generally were increasing the anti-oxidant potential of the blood, reinforcing anti-cancer factors.
A Commission statement said other research had been concentrating on positive effects of animal health care, which was in line with consumer sentiment in Europe, that “happy animals mean good food.”
This focused on good feeding practices making sure animals were fed and watered properly; good housing with appropriate levels of comfort for animals and freedom of movement; good health meaning reduced disease, injuries and pain; and “appropriate behaviour”, in terms of inter-action with other animals or humans, and absence of fear.
A code of practice for livestock breeding was released in the EU last March; and animal health care is included in compliance requirements for payment of direct farm support in the new version of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), currently being implemented.
Reference:
Food Research – showcasing a dozen European Research projects, MEMO/06/479; European Commission, Brussels, 12.12.06; http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction (12.12.06)
Food is getting healthier and better, thanks to European research. European Commission, Brussels, 12.12.06. Documents: European research on food quality and safety; quality low input food; seafood-plus; welfare quality; integration of animal welfare in the food safety chain; www.ec.europa.eu//research/press/2006/pr1212en.cfm (12.12.06)
Code of Conduct for Livestock Breeding; Livestock industry launches code of good practice for breeding farm animals in Europe, IP/06/257;European Commission, Brussels, 2.3.06; http://www.ec.europa.eu/research/press/2006/pr1212en.cfm (12.12.06)