The 9th Beef Sector Forum in Warsaw was primarily a discussion of the future of this very important sector in Poland. This year’s theme was sustainable beef production, which combines high quality meat, animal welfare and environmental protection. The event was attended by experts from Poland and abroad, representatives of industry organizations and public institutions, as well as EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski and Minister of Agriculture Henryk Kowalczyk.
The forum began with a panel on the social role of livestock, which included signatories of the Dublin Declaration of Scientists Societal Role of Lifestock. They stressed that livestock production not only provides food of high quality and nutritional value, but also contributes to the maintenance of the cultural landscape, biodiversity and rural development.
This was followed by a debate on the definition of sustainable beef cattle and beef livestock production to be adopted by the European Commission in 2023. Criteria for such a definition were discussed, such as resource efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving animal welfare and ensuring high quality beef. Representatives from Copa Cogeca, UECBV, Livestock Voice and the Dublin Declaration of Scientists took part in the discussion.
The final panel dealt with the role of the Common Agricultural Policy and the National Strategic Plans for the CAP in the transformation of the beef sector towards a more sustainable one. Opportunities to support beef cattle producers through CAP instruments such as direct payments, payments related to climate and environmental practices, rural development programs or promotional funds were discussed. The importance of dialogue between the sector and public administration at the national and EU levels was emphasized.
The 9th Beef Sector Forum was an opportunity to exchange views and experiences on challenges and opportunities for Polish beef production in the context of changing consumer expectations, markets and policies. The event showed that the beef sector is ready to take action to increase its sustainability and competitiveness.
