OAK BROOK, Ill. – The European Union’s (EU) Green Deal – a comprehensive action plan on sustainability and combating climate change – is key to understanding the union’s approach to agriculture and trade, according to a speaker at a recent Farm Foundation Forum.

“It’s no surprise that the EU does have a strong commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainable development and climate action,” explained Mark Titterington, co-founder and director of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture. “And in that context, has tried to take steps to reform global agriculture trade practices by leveraging its arguably substantial interest in the trade arena, and has used that to actively work to promote sustainability through its ag supply chains.”

The Green Deal, which has been endorsed by all 27 EU countries, has come under scrutiny by some in Europe, he said. Upcoming elections could have an impact on the deal and one of its key components, a Farm to Fork strategy, he stated.

Titterington spoke May 14 during the foundation’s forum on global agriculture trade and sustainability.

The Green Deal tries to take on challenges such as climate change, environmental pollution and resource depletion, and steer Europe toward a more sustainable future, said Titterington, also co-head of global sustainability and public affairs for Indigo. The objective is to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, and also to try to align economic growth and sustainability, he said

“It was, and undoubtedly is, a bold and ambitious plan which covers all the main sectors of the EU economy and has often been referred to as a kind of surrogate industrial policy for the European economy,” Titterington noted.

The Farm to Fork strategy is at the heart of the Green Deal, he said. The strategy seeks to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally friendly.

“There was a recognition that by putting food systems on a sustainable path, it would bring new opportunity for operators right across the value chain. New technologies, scientific discoveries, combined with increasing public awareness and demand for sustainable food would, according to the (European) Commission, benefit all stakeholders.”

The strategy is driving the EU to take steps to reform its own domestic food and agriculture system, but also to take on global agriculture trade practices in line with that domestic approach, Titterington said.

The EU is trying to exert strategic leverage by using its influence to encourage more sustainable practices, particularly in nations such as Brazil and Indonesia, where there is soybean and palm oil production, he said.

The organization is trying to support sustainable practices and promote economic development, Titterington added.

Implementation of the Farm to Fork strategy has encountered turbulence, including protests by farmers, he said.

For decades, European farmers have seen a decline in their share of what the consumer pays, he said. At the same time, they’ve faced more administrative burdens put on their businesses and to comply with regulations, he pointed out. The viability of the farm business has been increasingly threatened, Titterington added.

During her 2023 state of the union address, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said officials must work with people involved with EU farming to secure the food supply for the future.

“Our farmers face mounting challenges,” she said. “That is why we want to launch a strategic dialog on the future of EU agriculture. I am convinced that agriculture and protection of the natural world can go hand in hand. We need both.”

European Parliamentary elections June 6-9 could impact both strategies, Titterington said.

“There is now a debate well underway about both the future of the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy, and by implication, what that might mean for policies that impact on climate, environment, agriculture and specifically, the relationship to the EU’s trade agenda,” he said.

In Australia, government officials are also looking at agricultural sustainability, said Katie McRobert, executive director of the Australian Farm Institute. She spoke during the foundation’s forum.

Sustainability is not marketing jargon, McRobert said.

“We’re talking about the sustainability of a farming business into the future,” she explained. “It’s about making sure that we’re talking about profitability and productivity as well as continued stewardship of resources. I think that’s what every farmer wants.”

Three years ago, an Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework was created. It demonstrates the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the country’s agriculture, she said. The framework describes at a high level the principles and criteria important for Australian agriculture to identify. It provides guidelines, noting that the country’s agriculture is export-dominated, McRobert said.

It covers such topics as greenhouse gases and air, soil and landscapes, animal well being and fair trading.