Humane Society International / Europe


BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — Consumer, environmental and animal welfare organisations have come together to call on the new Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) to reject proposals that seek to prevent the producers of plant-based foods from using terms typically associated with meat or dairy, thereby banning widely-used and widely-understood terms such as ‘veggie burger’, ‘yoghurt style’ or ‘cheese substitute’.

Compassion in World Farming-EU, Eurogroup for Animals, European Environmental Bureau, European Vegetarian Union, FOUR PAWS, Humane Society International/Europe, ProVeg International, SAFE-Safe Food Advocacy Europe, The Good Food Institute Europe, and The Vegan Society signed a joint letter expressing their deep concerns regarding the proposed ban, which was included in a file forming part of the reform of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The organisations argue in the letter that consumers have long been accustomed to the use of such common-sense terms as ‘vegan sausage’ and ‘veggie burger’ to designate plant-based alternatives to meat, and that banning the use of those widely-understood terms would “result in confusing consumers and preventing them from making informed choices while purchasing products.”

Animal agriculture is a major greenhouse gas emitter, and experts agree that reducing global meat and dairy consumption could play a significant role in mitigating climate change. In light of considerable public support for policy action on climate change, the letter signatories also highlight that restricting the commercial speech of producers of plant-based products that are well known to have a lower environmental impact than their animal-based counterparts, would be counterproductive in achieving a greener CAP.

Finally, the letter points out that slowing down the development of plant-based alternatives would penalise the growing number of consumers looking for more sustainable food.

Alexandra Clark from Humane Society International/Europe said “During another heatwave that focuses our minds that we are in the midst of climate breakdown, it is madness that MEPs are spending valuable time on trying to limit the growth of the plant-based market by banning terms such as ‘veggie burger’ when instead they should be dedicated to making agricultural policy more sustainable and climate friendly. The European vegetarian and vegan food market has grown massively in recent years with consumers increasingly choosing to reduce or replace meat and dairy with plant-based options. Common sense terms like vegan sausage or cheese substitute have been used for years and it is absurd to suggest that banning them is in the best interest of consumers who are actively seeking out these products because they’re animal-free.”

Petitions against this proposal have now already gathered more than 80,000 signatures.

Media contact: Wendy Higgins whiggins@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Brazil


Cage-free chicken in Brazil
HSI

SÃO PAULO—Humane Society International, a leading global animal protection organization, urges the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) to reverse its administrative decision to limit the use of the term “cage-free” on labelling of eggs.  The label allows producers to meet consumers’ constitutional right to be informed about how their food was produced and enables them to choose the product that best meets their needs.  However, MAPA’s new interpretation of labelling requirements could prevent egg producers who use more humane cage-free systems from using the term “cage-free” on their packaging.

HSI submitted a technical legal note to MAPA, arguing that current legislation on inspection and labelling of eggs does not prevent eggs to be labelled “cage-free”, as long as the producer can demonstrate that a cage-free system was used. HSI’s submission also underscores the important role that accurate and complete label information plays in enabling conscious consumers to make informed choices.

Maria Fernanda Martin, HSI/Brazil’s corporate program and policy manager for farm animal welfare, said, “We have received numerous calls from stakeholders concerned with MAPA’s decision. We strongly believe that, on both technical and legal grounds, MAPA should revoke the decision.”

In the last several years, the cage-free movement has grown substantially in Brazil, with more than 100 leading food and hospitality companies having made commitments to use and sell exclusively cage-free eggs in all their operations and products by 2028, 2025 or earlier. Several Brazilian producers have already started cage-free egg production in at least 10 states (Amazonas, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul). In 2018 alone, three new egg producers started cage-free production with over 220,000 hens each. Other cage-free producers have expanded their production to meet the demand, and some traditional egg producers have begun to transition their systems to cage-free.

HSI will remain vigilant regarding MAPA’s decision and will continue to work with producers and the industry to transition to cage-free egg production systems.

END

Media contact: Maria Fernanda Martin, mfmartin@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Brazil


Chicken

SÃO PAULO—Humane Society International applauds a recent decision by Walmart, Brazil’s third largest retailer, to make a new commitment to animal welfare by pledging to sell exclusively cage-free eggs by 2028 in all of its Brazil locations. This announcement comes after working with HSI and other animal protection organizations. Walmart and HSI will continue to work together on the implementation of this policy in all 471 stores throughout the country.

Maria Fernanda Martin, HSI/Brazil’s corporate policy and program manager for farm animal welfare, said: “We congratulate Walmart for joining hundreds of food companies in Brazil and around the world in committing to source only cage-free eggs. By adopting cage-free egg policies, companies are meeting the growing global consumer demand for higher welfare products and generating change in the egg industry. We look forward to working with Walmart on this important transition and invite other companies to join this global corporate social responsibility movement.”

This commitment will improve the lives of millions of egg-laying hens in Brazil. Egg-laying hens are typically confined for their whole lives in wire battery cages so small that the hens cannot even fully stretch their wings. Cage-free systems generally offer higher animal welfare compared to caged systems, providing the animals with enough room to walk around and engage in their important natural behaviors such as laying their eggs in nests, foraging, perching and dustbathing.

Walmart joins other food corporations that have committed to switching to exclusively cage-free eggs in Brazil and throughout Latin America, including Unilever, which has committed to a global cage-free egg supply chain by 2025, and Nestlé, the largest food company in the world, also by 2025. After working with HSI, Burger King and Arcos Dorados, which operates McDonald’s in Brazil and 19 other countries in the region, committed to switching to 100 percent cage-free eggs, as did other restaurant operators, accounting for thousands of restaurants in Brazil and Latin America. In Brazil, Compass Group (GRSA) and Sodexo have previously announced their commitment to a global cage-free policy in partnership with HSI. Alsea, the largest restaurant operator in Latin America and Spain, and Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest bakery company, announced their cage-free egg policies after several years of engaging with HSI specialists. Corporations like Kraft-Heinz, International Meal Company (IMC), Cargill, Brazil Fast Food Corporation (BFFC), Subway, Intercontinental Hotels Group, AccorHotels, Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Giraffas, Barilla, Divino Fogão, Habib’s, Grupo CRM, Bauducco and Grupo LemosPassos have also pledged to go cage-free in Brazil.

 

Media contact: Maria Fernanda Martin, mfmartin@hsi.org, +55 (11) 9 5770 9922

Humane Society International / Brazil


Chickens

SÃO PAULO—Premier Pet, one of the largest pet food companies in Brazil, has announced it will switch to exclusively cage-free eggs in its entire supply chain by 2025, becoming the first pet food company to adopt this policy in Brazil and Latin America. This announcement comes after working with Humane Society International, one of the largest animal protection organizations in the world, and other animal protection organizations. Premier Pet and HSI will continue to work together on the implementation of this policy.

Cristiana F. Ferreira Pontieri, Premier Pet product development director, stated: “The adoption of the cage-free philosophy represents yet another step in PremieRpet®’s commitment to conscious consumption at all of our activity levels and reflects our concern for animal welfare and high quality ingredients. To lead this initiative in Brazil, in alignment with global trends, meets and strengthens our precepts of more natural production practices.”

Maria Fernanda Martin, corporate policy and program manager for HSI Farm Animals in Brazil, said: “We applaud Premier Pet for becoming the first pet food company in Brazil and throughout Latin America to pledge to use only cage-free eggs, and look forward to continuing to work with them and their egg suppliers on the implementation of this policy. This move will relieve thousands of egg-laying hens from a life of extreme confinement and sends a clear message to the egg industry that the future of egg production is cage-free.”

Egg-laying hens are typically confined for their whole lives in wire battery cages, so small that the cannot even fully stretch their wings. Both common sense and science agree that virtually immobilizing animals for their entire lives causes mental distress and significant physical pain.

Premier Pet joins hundreds of food corporations that have already committed to switching to exclusively cage-free eggs in Brazil and throughout Latin America, including Unilever, which has committed to a global cage-free egg supply chain by 2025, and Nestlé, the largest food company in the world, also by 2025. After working with HSI, Burger King and Arcos Dorados, which operates McDonald’s in Brazil and 19 other countries in the region, committed to switching to 100 percent cage-free eggs, as did other restaurant operators, accounting for thousands of restaurants in Brazil and Latin America. In Brazil, Compass Group (GRSA) and Sodexo have previously announced their commitment to a global cage-free policy in partnership with HSI. Alsea, the largest restaurant operator in Latin America and Spain, and Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest bakery company, announced their cage-free egg policies after several years of working with HSI. Corporations like Kraft-Heinz, International Meal Company (IMC), Cargill, Brazil Fast Food Corporation (BFFC), SubwayIntercontinental Hotels Group, AccorHotels, Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Giraffas, Barilla, Divino Fogão, Habib’s, Grupo CRM, Bauducco and Grupo LemosPassos have also pledged to go cage-free in Brazil.

 

Media contact: Maria Fernanda Martin, mfmartin@hsi.org, +55 (11) 9 5770 9922

 Humane Society International and its partner organisations together constitute one of the world’s largest animal protection organisations. For more than 25 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide – on the Web at hsi.org.

Humane Society International / United Kingdom


Reduce your consumption of animal products and pledge to #EatKind for animals, people and the planet!

Humane Society International / Mexico


Cage-free hens
Michelle Riley/The HSUS

VERACRUZ—The Mexican diner chain La Parroquia de Veracruz announced its new commitment to animal welfare, pledging to source only cage-free eggs in its egg supply chain by 2025. With 32 restaurants in Mexico, the company worked with Humane Society International on the adoption of this policy, and will continue to work with the organization to complete the transition to a 100% cage-free egg supply chain at all its locations, improving the animal welfare standards of the product as well as the economic sustainability of all their processes.

Marcelino Fernández Rivero, CEO  of La Parroquia de Veracruz, stated: “We are proud to offer our customers higher quality products by joining the cage-free egg movement. La Parroquia de Veracruz has corporate social responsibility policies on different issues, and it is a great pleasure for us to work to improve animal welfare in order to achieve a more responsible supply chain.”

Vivian Argüelles, animal behavior and welfare specialist for HSI/México, stated: “We congratulate La Parroquia de Veracruz for its commitment to only serve cage-free eggs in all its restaurants by 2025, and we are looking forward to working with them to ensure that the commitment is implemented. More and more corporations are adopting responsible consumption procurement policies, specifically with respect to cage-free eggs, and we invite other Mexican companies to follow this initiative.”

La Parroquia de Veracruz joins hundreds of other leading food companies committed to switching to cage-free eggs in Mexico and other regions around the world.

This commitment will improve the lives of thousands of egg-laying hens in Mexico. Conventional production systems in the country keep hens confined for their entire lives in wire cages so small they cannot even fully stretch their wings or carry out their natural behaviors. Common sense and science tell us that immobilizing animals for their lifetime in cages results in significant stress and physical pain.

END

Media contacts

Humane Society International: Laura Bravo, 55 5456 1476, laurabravocom@gmail.com, laura@labcomunicacion.com.mx, hugo@labcomunicacion.com.mx

Eating green is affordable, fun and delicious for all South Africans

Humane Society International / Africa


CAPE TOWN — Humane Society International/Africa (HSI/Africa), in collaboration with the Western Cape Government: Health, Western Cape on Wellness (WoW!) Healthy Lifestyles Programme has developed and launched a novel Healthy Plant-Based Cooking course for community members on practical plant-based nutrition. The course, developed by an expert panel, is an instrumental part of HSI/Africa’s Green Monday initiative to encourage South Africans to eat plant-based at least one day every week to improve their health, reduce their carbon footprint, and make a positive difference to the lives of farm animals.

Families on tight budgets will be pleased to discover that plant-based meals can be quick and easy to prepare, often being more affordable (and more delicious) than conventional animal-based foods.

“Participants were excited to learn how to cook plant-based ingredients as a main meal”, said Leozette Roode, Media and Outreach Manager for HSI/Africa. “A key part of the course is the ripple effects it will have, as it is designed to teach attendees how to train other community members on plant-based cooking as well as the environmental, public health and animal welfare benefits of adding more plant-based meals to their weekly routine”.

HSI encourages everyone to reduce or replace consumption of animal products with plant-based foods, and to refine their diets by avoiding products from farms with abusive practices, such as the confinement of hens in cages and choosing products from sources that adhere to higher animal welfare standards.

The 5-day course combined theoretical training with practical plant-based cooking, and was attended by 17 participants from various Western Cape communities, including Bishop Lavis, Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and Ravensmead, who committed to share their knowledge with 10 additional community members, who in turn will spread the plant-based message with another 10 community members. The course is facilitated by the WoW! Programme in partnership with HSI/Africa and supported with free training manuals and presentations.

Comments from participants include: It made me rethink on how to be a more plant-based eater; I have decided to join the plant-based eaters; The meal was delicious. Will definitely encourage my community to go plant–based; I enjoyed eating vegetables; Overall it’s been an exciting time for me to actually cook plant-based food.

Dr Frederick Marais, Deputy Director: Increasing Wellness, Western Cape Government: Health, said: “The development and delivery of this unique course are important steps towards making healthy plant-based cooking and eating contextually appropriate and accessible, easy and enjoyable! This course is a first in Africa, so WoW! is very excited to work with our much valued partners, sponsors and importantly the WoW! Community Wellness Champions to increase cooking and eating with plant-based foods, together with regular physical activity, as part of promoting physical, intellectual, social, financial and environmental wellness. We are pleased and encouraged by the preliminary findings suggesting increased knowledge and behaviour change after the 5-day course! Determined by the long-term findings, the aim is to scale the course as part of promoting healthy eating behaviour at population level”.

For more information on the Green Monday SA movement and programs implemented in South Africa, visit www.greenmondayza.org. For plant-based recipes and to join the movement, visit www.greenmonday.co.za.  For more information on the course and the WoW! Healthy Lifestyles Programme, visit www.westerncape.gov.za/wow

 

Media Contacts:

HSI/Africa: Media and Communications Outreach Manager Leozette Roode, mobile +2771 360 1004, lroode@hsi.org

Humane Society International / United States


WASHINGTON – For World Water Day on 22 March, Humane Society International is urging consumers to eat a more plant-based diet to help combat the significant contribution to water scarcity across the world. Water security is one of the biggest challenges facing our planet, so World Water Day is the ideal opportunity to tackle one of the biggest causes of water usage – meat, dairy and egg production.

Globally 2.1 billion people live without safe water and around 4 billion people – nearly two-thirds of the world’s population – experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year. According to the United Nations, 700 million people worldwide could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.

With more than 83 billion animals reared and slaughtered globally for the food industry every year, industrial scale animal agriculture impacts our environment in enormously detrimental ways. It is not only one of the leading contributors to climate change and deforestation, but it also uses vast quantities of water. Research shows that switching to more plant-forward diets could cut our water footprint in half, so by changing our diet to reduce or replace meat, dairy and eggs with more water-friendly plant-based foods, we can all help to preserve the world’s water.

The Top 8 Reasons to Eat Plant-Based for World Water Day
1. Farming (animal and plant) accounts for about 70 percent of water used in the world today, up to 92 percent of freshwater, with nearly one-third of that related to animal farming and growing crops to feed to animals.
2. Most of the total volume of water used for animal agriculture (98 percent) refers to the water footprint of the feed for the animals. About one-third of the world’s grain and 80 percent of the world’s soya is fed to the animals we rear for food.
3. Intensive animal farming can cause serious water pollution such as eutrophication, an excessive amount of algae in the water caused by run-off of animal faeces and leftover feed, often leading to loss of fish and other aquatic wildlife.
4. 725.6L of freshwater are needed to produce 100g of protein from beef, whereas tofu requires eight times less freshwater (92.9L)
5. 96 percent of fish eaten in Europe comes from fresh-water fish farming, but the vast quantities of fish excrement and uneaten fish food that settles on the pond bed makes the perfect environment for the production of the greenhouse gas methane.
6. A meat-free diet can cut our water footprint in half! Studies show that a healthy meat-free diet reduces our water footprint by up to 55%.
7. The United Nations Environment Assembly says that plant-based burgers require between 75 – 99 per cent less water; 93 – 95 per cent less land; and generate 87 – 90 per cent fewer emissions than regular beef burgers.
8. “A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use. It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car,” said University of Oxford’s Joseph Poore, who led the most comprehensive analysis of the damage farming does to the planet.

Kitty Block, President of HSI, says: “With billions of people across the globe struggling to cope with severe water scarcity, we should all be looking to cut our water footprint. One of the most effective ways we can all conserve water is to reduce or replace meat and dairy with planet-friendly, plant-based products. The vast quantities of water used by animal agriculture to grow animal feed, hydrate billions of animals, disinfect abattoir equipment and process animal products is contributing to our planet’s water scarcity. In addition to the animal welfare and human health benefits of cutting meat, looking after the earth’s scarce resources is a compelling reason to eat plant-based for World Water Day.”

Other benefits come from reducing or replacing meat and dairy in our diet. Numerous studies indicate that a diet rich in plant-based foods has considerable health benefits. The World Health Organisation estimates that worldwide obesity has tripled since 1975, with more than 1.9 billion overweight adults, and 381 million children overweight or obese. Studies from direct to consumer wellness brand wellness Gold Bee show that people who eat fewer animal products have lower rates of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and cancer. Replacing meat, milk and eggs produced by industrial agriculture also benefits farm animals, billions of whom spend their entire lives in cages or crates, where they are unable to exercise, engage in their natural behaviours, and often cannot even turn around because of lack of space.

Media contacts:

  • HSI International Media Director Wendy Higgins, +44 (0) 7989 972 423 (mobile), whiggins@hsi.org
  • HSI in the United States: Nancy Hwa, 202-676-2337 (direct), 202-596-0808 (cell), nhwa@hsi.org

Humane Society International / India


David Paul Morris

BANGALORE—In collaboration with Antoine Lewis, a renowned food and wine critic, Humane Society International/India organized a corporate roundtable focused on animal welfare trends in the food and hospitality industries.

The roundtable, which took place at Sheraton Grand, Bengaluru on March 8, saw participation from global leaders in the food and hospitality sector, including Sodexo, IKEA, Compass Group, Hilton, Marriott and Accor.

The event focused on supporting the development and implementation of animal welfare standards within corporate policies, with the purpose of improving the welfare of animals in the food supply chain. Considering the increasing consumer demand for ethical sourcing of food products and the parallel need for traceability, a transition away from battery-cage egg supply chains and towards cage-free egg supply chains and practices was highlighted. Additionally, consumers are increasingly paying attention to the massive negative impact high levels of consumption of meat, dairy and eggs has on the environment and their health, resulting in a growing trend towards the consumption of plant-based foods. To cater to this demand, participants discussed the need to increase the availability of plant-based food on menus.

Speakers included representatives from IKEA India; cage-free poultry farm, Happy Hens; plant-based meat company, Good Dot; and animal welfare experts from HSI. Antoine Lewis, food and wine critic from Mumbai, said, “Many chefs, hoteliers and restaurateurs I have spoken to have expressed a desire to move towards clean, ethically produced ingredients. This is a new area and naturally there are gaps between supply and demand. The roundtable will allow cage-free egg producers and the F&B industry to honestly understand the issues and challenges each faces and hopefully come up with equitable solutions.”

Humane Society International/India is assisting companies with developing and implementing cage-free commitments in their egg procurement policies.

Shreya Paropkari, manager of farm animal protection for Humane Society International/India, said “We are thrilled to be hosting India’s first corporate roundtable on animal welfare. Progressive companies in India have come together for this roundtable with the purpose to build a more humane, healthy and sustainable world. We are here to provide the support the companies require to help achieve this objective, and this roundtable is the first step towards more such collaborations.”

A similar conference will be conducted next week at JW Marriott, Mumbai, and will focus on relationship building with food and hospitality industry leaders and provide attendees with Humane Society International/India’s resources and assistance. Roshith Rajan, director of corporate social responsibility for Sodexo Asia Pacific, will be speaking at that event, sharing the company’s experience in the implementation of animal welfare standards.

Interview opportunities with Antoine Lewis and HSI expert Sara Shields available on request

Media Contact: Sanjana Rao, srao@hsi.org, +91 8897827214

Brussels premiere of BAFTA winner 73 Cows brings transition message to EU Parliament

Humane Society International / Europe


Brussels – European Union policy makers are being urged to help farmers transition away from animal agriculture and towards plant-crop farming in order to capitalise on the growing trend in plant-based eating. Speaking at an event this week at the European Parliament organised by Humane Society International/Europe, farmers, ecologists and academics agreed there is an urgent need for the EU to support transition farming to help farmers adapt and seize the economic opportunity of consumer diets shifting away from meat, dairy and eggs.

A major report from the Rise Foundation recently warned that Europe’s meat and dairy production must be halved by 2050 in recognition of its significant contribution to environmental degradation such as greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. The EU currently raises 9 billion farm animals for food each year – with more than 360 million of these animals spending all or part of their lives in intensive cage systems – and globally the figure is an estimated 82 billion animals.

Oxford University’s Dr Marco Springmann, and Harvard University’s Dr Helen Harwatt were joined at the Brussels symposium event by ecologist and rewilding expert Alan Watson Featherstone, and Swedish farmer Adam Arnesson who is transitioning his pig farm to grow oats for a plant-milk company. Policy makers were also treated to Europe’s first public screening of BAFTA 2019 award winning short film 73 Cows about British cattle farmers Jay and Katja Wilde who sent their herd to a sanctuary and switched to crop cultivation instead.

Alexandra Clark, HSI/Europe’s food policy consultant, said “European consumers are more aware than ever of the animal welfare and environmental impacts of meat, dairy and egg production. The current level of animal production is simply unsustainable, and the continued growth of plant-based alternatives is inevitable. This presents Europe’s farmers with an exciting opportunity to meet this changing demand by transitioning away from industrial animal agriculture to plant-crop production. With the current reform of the EU’s agricultural policy, MEPs have a clear chance to assist farmers in those transition efforts by shifting subsidies away from propping up industrial animal production, and instead supporting farmers switch to fruit, vegetables, fungi, grains and leguminous crops that are growing in demand from an increasingly plant-based public.”

The EU is currently reforming its Common Agricultural Policy, with a crucial vote planned in the Agriculture Committee in early April. Dr Helen Harwatt from Harvard University believes this is a major opportunity for EU policymakers to take leadership in animal to plant protein agricultural shifts.

Dr Harwatt said: “Repurposing portions of agricultural land to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere will be crucial for limiting warming to 1.5°C. In turn, restoring this land to its natural habitat opens the door for reintroducing animal species, which would help toward tackling the wildlife crisis. Animal to plant protein shifts are essential and policy makers must ensure that policies and support are put in place to help farmers make this transition”

Swedish farmer Adam Arnesson has shifted his farm production from solely animal-based to the cultivation of multiple crops for human consumption including oats for oat milk production. In doing so he has doubled the number of people his output feeds annually and halved the climate impact per calorie.

Farmers Jay and Katja Wilde, who star in Alex Lockwood’s 73 Cows short film, were keen for MEPs to understand that the pressure and fear for the future that many animal farmers feel, could be alleviated if support existed to help them ‘plant for the planet’.

Speaking at the EU Parliament screening of 73 Cows, Jay Wilde said: “We are thrilled that our film has come to the European Parliament where we hope it inspires politicians to vote for a better future for both farmers and animals. Giving our cows to a sanctuary to live out their years in a safe haven was the best decision of our lives, it became the only decision when sending them to the abattoir was no longer something I could live with. But it’s been a very scary journey too because you’re stepping into the unknown. This shift in farming isn’t just a personal choice, its necessary to protect the environment, so if there was financial and practical support to help farmers like me plant for the planet, it would make life so much easier.”

Spanish MEP Florent Marcellesi said “We need to leave behind our unsustainable farming model and animal-based diets. Instead, we should turn as soon as possible to ecologic plant-based ones and build a farming model which is sustainable, healthy and respectful to animal welfare.”

Italian MEP Eleonora Evi said “Climate change is here, it’s already happening. For our sake but also for the sake of every other species on this planet, we need to take action to mitigate its effects by adopting an ‘all hands on deck’ approach. This means opening up the dialogue to different stakeholders. The agriculture sector has one of the highest levels of emissions, and therefore must become part of the solution. The transition to sustainable production methods and re-naturalization of agricultural areas must inevitably be considered.”

Finnish MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen said “If everyone would shift their diets towards plant-based, it would be beneficial for public health, animal welfare, biodiversity and climate.”

Facts

  • Up to 20 percent (€ 32.6 billion) of the EU’s entire annual budget is spent on animal agriculture (including feed)
  • Around 71 percent of EU farmland is used to grow animal feed
  • Animal agriculture is responsible for 14.5 percent of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions
  • According to Euromonitor, in 2017 plant-based milks represented 12 percent of the global fluid milk market, and dairy alternatives are predicted to grow to a market value of €19bn by 2022
  • Europe is currently the largest market for meat substitutes, having a 39 percent global market share and, with an eight percent annual growth rate, they are predicted to reach a global net worth of €4.2bn by 2020
  • A 2017 report by Rabobank suggests that alternative proteins could represent a third of total EU protein demand growth in the next five years
  • The EAT-Lancet Commission found that a transformation to healthy diets from sustainable food systems is necessary to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement
  • The EAT-Lancet Commission also found that transformation to healthy diets by 2050 will require substantial dietary shifts, including a greater than 50 percent reduction in global consumption of foods such as red meat and sugar, and a greater than 100 percent increase in consumption of healthy foods, such as nuts, fruits, vegetables, and legumes
  • Humane Society International’s Forward Food program is one of the largest plant-based culinary training programs globally. Aimed at encouraging universities, caterers, and other institutions to provide more vegan options, Forward Food helps to facilitate diet shifts at scale. HSI believes that by making animal-free food options tastier, more satisfying and widely available, more and more people will opt for meat-free meals which is good news for animals, people and the planet. Humane Society International advocates compassionate eating – or the Three Rs: “refining” diets by avoiding products from the most abusive production systems, and “reducing” or “replacing” animal products with plant-based foods.

Media contact:

United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins whiggins@hsi.org +44 (0)7989 972 423

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