Stichting Milieukeur (SMK) is calling on the government to act on the adopted motion calling for farmers to be reimbursed for costs incurred in running a label.
SMK (developer and manager of the PlanetProof quality mark) believes that the cabinet should quickly fulfil the motion as it was already passed by the Lower House in June this year. This motion requests the cabinet to reimburse the costs incurred by Dutch farmers and horticulturists for having a top quality mark for sustainability. Currently, the extra efforts made by farmers and horticulturists in the areas of climate, nitrogen reduction, biodiversity, animal welfare, nature & landscape and soil fertility are often not or hardly rewarded. The government, however, benefits greatly. Supermarkets also have a responsibility here. They should place a higher value on more sustainable product and pay that margin to the farmer.
According to the foundation, the government can create a level playing field for farmers and horticulturists who meet the sustainability requirements of the top labels with an allowance for sustainability costs. This was already agreed in the 2017 coalition agreement, but has still not been implemented, SMK argues. SMK estimates the total annual direct costs for participation Beter Leven (2 and 3 stars), Biologisch, Demeter, EKO and On the way to PlanetProof at 30 million euros. The quality marks help to make Dutch agriculture more sustainable hence the SMK thinks the government should release a fraction of the billions of budgets for making agriculture more sustainable to compensate farmers. Dröge: "By including a sum of 30 million euros in the national budget for 2023, farmers and market gardeners can take important steps towards sustainability with the help of the top quality labels recognised by Milieu Centraal. This way, they will not have to bear the additional costs. The 2017 agreements must now finally be implemented."
Over 2,000 farmers in the crop sector are affiliated with PlanetProof. In the dairy farming sector, they are over 800 entrepreneurs.
Through the joint campaign 1TP5Let'sStayMade, 17 energy-intensive industries are sounding the alarm and calling on politicians to temporarily accommodate their entrepreneurs in the short term.
A large part of the companies in these industries are facing serious financial problems due to the extremely high energy prices and have to scale down or cease production. The industry associations are asking politicians to accommodate entrepreneurs to give them perspective and support them in further sustainability. "Because in the longer term, this sustainability is the only way to become energy independent from Putin as well as to get our companies energetic again."
See also flyer: https://www.evmi.nl/files/96b1ce2bf7233f7cc4c8bf5eff2793ba.pdf
This can be done with a tasty cricket burger, but also indirectly by feeding insects to chickens and pigs or by using frass (insect manure) to grow crops that we eat. During this event, seven different parties will share their experiences and views on the sector and explain how insects get on our plates.
There are many developments in the insect sector. What is currently going on, what is possible and what is the future? How can the sector be taken forward? Different perspectives in the insect sector will show what is already possible at the moment and how entrepreneurs can move forward. The programme consists of several speakers, various table discussions and an interactive central part.
See: https://dutchfoodweek.nl/home/nl-nl/market/media/item/889/insecten-hoe-belanden-ze-op-ons-bord as well as backgrounds and documents due to an Open Government Act WOO request: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/ministeries/ministerie-van-landbouw-natuur-en-voedselkwaliteit/documenten/woo-besluiten/2022/09/13/besluit-woo-verzoek-over-eiwittransitie
The role of allergens within HACCP has been further clarified by this Communication. Allergens are a hazard that should be controlled within an HACCP plan by various preventive measures. Cleaning to control allergens is cited as an example of a measure that is not normally classified as a CCP, but should be seen as a basic measure within a food safety system. These basic measures fall under Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) or the somewhat broader prerequisite programmes (PRP). Preventive measures to avoid the unintended presence of allergens therefore belong in the PRPs and do not actually fit into the process hazard analysis. See:
COMMISSION communication on the implementation of food safety management systems consisting of good hygiene practices and procedures based on HACCP principles, including the promotion/flexibility of implementation in certain food businesses.
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/NL/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52022XC0916(01)&from=NL
