What changed between the draft committee report and the plenary report

Added:32. Underscores that the pursuit of improved animal productivity or climate targets must not come at the expense of animal health and welfare;

Added:33. Encourages the development of policies that support family farms and young and new farmers in maintaining and improving sustainable livestock production and small-scale livestock production as a means of livelihood and food security; points out that it is therefore necessary to support farmers in becoming well established through strong, dedicated financial tools, in order to allow them to be better able to face financial pressures; insists on the importance of collective structures such as farmer-owned and -run cooperatives and producer organisations;

Added:34. Emphasises the need to strengthen support for the outermost regions, where structural and geographical conditions lead to much higher farming costs; calls on the Commission to update POSEI funding in the next multiannual financial framework to reflect inflation since 2007; notes that indexation alone is not enough to address rising production, transport and supply costs; stresses that adequate POSEI funding is essential to sustain farming, ensure farm viability and uphold the EU’s economic, social and territorial cohesion, in accordance with Article 349 TFEU;

Added:35. Calls on the Commission to recognise the specific needs and challenges faced by livestock farmers in mountainous and disadvantaged areas, including island, inland, remote and outermost regions, and to ensure adequate support through the CAP, in particular through coupled support, sector-specific interventions and targeted rural development measures; underlines that maintaining livestock farming in remote, island and less favoured areas contributes to environmental sustainability by preventing land abandonment, supporting biodiversity and preserving traditional landscapes, supports farmers’ incomes and rural livelihoods and helps repopulate rural areas; emphasises the importance of ensuring the active participation of representatives of the outermost regions within the high-level group, as the specific geographical, socio-economic and production characteristics of these regions present their own challenges that require particular attention in the process of drawing up EU policies;

Added:36. Highlights the necessity of global cooperation and innovative knowledge transfer in supporting sustainable livestock systems, particularly from European regions with highly efficient livestock systems, induced by rapid population growth and urbanisation;

Added:37. Urges the Member States and the Commission to invest in education, training and infrastructure that enable farmers to implement livestock production practices that are more sustainable, more efficient and better for animals’ health and welfare, including digitalisation, applied research, transfer of knowledge and training on innovative tools and technologies for the early detection and prevention of epizootic diseases, such as health monitoring systems for livestock; highlights the importance of independent advisory services in this regard, and calls on Member States to make full use of the CAP in order to properly fund these services;

Added:38. Calls for simpler animal welfare rules that focus on helping farmers through education and support rather than enforcement-focused methods;

Added:39. Urges the Commission to present its conclusions on the development of an animal welfare labelling system that guarantees adequate and uniform information for consumers, thereby avoiding the risks to the internal market generated by the proliferation of local animal welfare schemes;

Added:40. Points out that, with only 12 % of farm holdings in the EU run by people under the age of 40, the lack of young farmers threatens the economic viability, generational continuity and future sustainability of the European livestock sector; urges the Commission, therefore, to improve the effectiveness of start‑up support in overcoming entry barriers to the livestock sector, including high start-up costs; underlines the struggle of attracting young farmers to the livestock sector, which suffers from a lack of attractiveness because of the demanding nature of the work such as long working hours, limited opportunities to take time off and a lack of replacement services, and the need to take into account the increasing number of women working on livestock farms by promoting gender-inclusive measures and opportunities;

Added:41. Welcomes the Commission’s generational renewal strategy; calls on the Commission to provide recommendations and explore solutions to tackle the key barriers to the installation of young livestock farmers, in particular high initial investments in infrastructure, difficulties in accessing land, especially as a result of differences between Member States, limited access to credit, labour shortages, issues related to risk management, the prevention and control of animal diseases and bureaucratic burdens;

Added:42. Invites the Commission to consider the possibility of granting more direct payments to young farmers; stresses, moreover, the need to create suitable conditions for decent retirement; emphasises that facilitating access to credit and land, especially in Member States with high land prices, increasing investment in livestock quality and improving services in rural areas are essential conditions for attracting and retaining a new generation of farmers; stresses that the advice for Member States to allocate 6 % of the CAP budget to generational renewal is not binding enough to guarantee sufficient support for young farmers;

Added:43. Welcomes the Commission’s presentation of the EU bioeconomy strategy; invites the Commission to recognise the role of innovative livestock farming in promoting circularity and to fully unlock the potential of energy production, particularly biogas and biomethane, the use of digestate as a bio-based fertiliser and the valorisation of livestock by-products through the rendering sector to provide additional sources of income for livestock farmers; underlines that livestock dense areas in particular play an important role in the bioeconomy, as their proximity to urban areas and short distances enable circular cooperation in upscaling human waste streams and the processing of farm waste streams;

Added:44. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to identify adequate and long-term funding opportunities for preventive measures and compensation for farmers, which can include, but should not be limited to, the CAP, not only for losses suffered and costs incurred due to large carnivore attacks, but also for mitigation measures, including advisory services, knowledge sharing, and training for farmers on coexistence between grazing livestock and large carnivores;

Added:45. Highlights that the targeted amendment of the Habitats Directive to align EU legislation with the updated Bern Convention protection level of the wolf is intended to provide greater flexibility in managing wolf populations across the EU and to minimise socio-economic impacts; stresses the need to take into account the high cross-border mobility of species and the fact that the conservation status of different populations of the same species can vary across regions; calls on the Commission and the Member States to further intensify cross-border collaboration on these issues;

Environmental sustainability

Change 20

Changed:28.46. Acknowledges the essential role of livestock farming, notably grassland-based systems, in maintaining circular agricultural systems, enhancing ecosystem services and providing climate and environmental services by sequestering carbon, improving water quality,quality and soil health, protecting biodiversitybiodiversity, providing habitats for fauna and flora, maintaining diversified and open landscapes;landscapes, particularly in mountainous areas, and making use of marginal lands that cannot produce food for humans; highlights that monogastric species such as poultry and swine can further enhance circularity through the incorporation of waste stream products into their feed and the recycling of biomass, while their manure provides a valuable source of natural fertiliser for crop production; stresses that significant herd reductions may compromise these ecosystem functions;

Change 21

Removed:29. Stresses the importance of integrating livestock into sustainable agricultural models, ensuring balanced nutrient flows and minimising resource competition;

Added:47. Invites the Commission to propose tools to enhance the role of livestock production in maintaining grasslands that are important for the environment and climate stability through more efficient farming systems, to improve the sustainability of livestock systems by increasing their efficiency, and to ensure higher incomes for livestock sector workers;

Removed:30. Underlines that maintaining livestock farming in remote and less favoured areas contributes to environmental sustainability by preventing land abandonment, supporting biodiversity and preserving traditional landscapes;

Added:48. Stresses the importance of integrating livestock into sustainable agricultural models, including mixed farming systems, ensuring balanced nutrient flows and minimising resource competition; stresses the importance of efficient livestock use to balance sustainability and food needs, and highlights the benefits of rotational and mob grazing for fodder productivity, carbon sequestration, soil quality, biodiversity and drought resilience; underlines the need to increase awareness of the environmental benefits of well-managed animals;

Removed:31. Stresses the importance for farming systems of integrating crop production with animal husbandry in order to facilitate the recycling of nutrients by favouring organic fertilisers over synthetic ones, to reduce the consumption of chemicals and to enhance soil fertility and biodiversity;

Added:49. Calls on the Commission to increase the scope for Member States to support farmers in preserving landscape via the CAP, while reducing regulatory obstacles to the full use of pastures and ensuring stronger protection of EU agricultural land against land take, degradation and competing non-agricultural uses;

Removed:32. Calls on the Commission to accelerate the approval and uptake of alternative fertilising products, such as digestate and RENURE materials, to enhance nutrient recycling, reduce dependency on synthetic fertilisers and promote circularity within livestock systems; stresses the urgent need to revise the Nitrates Directive, which does not reflect the latest scientific advancements and innovative fertilisation practices;

Added:50. Stresses the importance for farming systems to integrate crop production with animal husbandry in order to facilitate the recycling of nutrients by favouring organic fertilisers over synthetic ones, to reduce the consumption of chemicals and to enhance soil fertility and biodiversity;

Added:51. Calls on the Commission, while acknowledging the strategic importance of conventional fertiliser production in the EU for European competitiveness, to support the use of animal manure on certain crops and accelerate the approval and uptake of alternative fertilising products, such as digestate and RENURE materials, to enhance nutrient recycling, reduce dependency on synthetic fertilisers imported from non-EU countries and promote circularity within livestock systems; recognises the livestock sector’s strategic role in reducing dependence on synthetic inputs and notes that enhancing the use of both digestate and RENURE contributes not only to the circular economy, but also to the decarbonisation of the EU economy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, supporting the production of renewable energy and reducing the EU’s dependency on imported fossil fuels;

Added:52. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal for a targeted revision of the Nitrates Directive to allow the use of RENURE fertilisers above the limit set for the application of manure and to align it with the latest scientific evidence and innovative fertilisation practices, including the use of manure so as to promote circular nutrient management while continuing to protect water quality; refers to recent studies on the benefits and neutral impact on water quality of derogations given to Member States;

53. Calls on the Commission to ensure fair prices or due compensation for breeders, given the increasing cost of fertilisers;

Change 22

Removed:34. Notes that enhancing the use of both digestate and RENURE contributes not only to the circular economy, but also to the decarbonisation of the EU economy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the production of renewable energy;

54. Calls on the Commission to invest in innovation and infrastructure that enable the broader use of manure-derived fertilisers and biogas from livestock farming, in line with the EU’s climate and energy objectives;

Change 23

Changed:36.55. UnderlinesCalls on the Commission to rethink the way in which agricultural products, by-products and residual products are classified as waste in order to facilitate their use as commodities; stresses that farmed animals are an indispensable element of the circular economy linked to the agricultural sector, and underlines the need for better recognition of the contribution of livestock farming to the bioeconomy through a more comprehensive approach to the nutrient and carbon cycles across all areas of food and non-food uses;production; calls on the Commission to draw on research findings in its approach to the livestock sector and to facilitate research in the development of circular feed; calls on the Commission to review the regulations on animal by-products not intended for human consumption, in order to simplify the use of low-risk products, such as wool;

56. Warns against ‘one-size-fits-all’ policies aimed at large-scale reductions in livestock populations, which could exacerbate environmental degradation and threaten the resilience of the food system; notes, in particular, that reducing ruminant numbers could lead to land-use change with negative effects, including land abandonment, forest development, a loss of biodiversity and increased risk of fire;

Change 24

Changed:38.57. Calls for increased investment in research and innovation to optimise crop production and livestock management practices and reduce the ecological footprint of livestock, including plant and animal breeding, feeding, grazing and manure and field management techniques that enhance sustainability outcomes;

Change 25

Removed:39. Urges the Commission and the Member States to ensure that regulatory frameworks related to livestock are developed transparently, based on sound science, and with full stakeholder engagement;

Added:58. Stresses the importance of a strategy that takes into account the entire farming cycle, supports optimal crop rotation planning, maximises the use of arable land, and enhances and customises the composition of feedstuffs grown by farmers, starting with plant varieties that enable emissions reductions; highlights the importance of restoring entrepreneurial freedom in agriculture, enabling farmers to develop and choose ventilation, housing and feeding systems that are adapted to their specific circumstances and best suited to their production systems;

Removed:40. Invites the Commission to propose tools to enhance the role of livestock production in maintaining grasslands important for the environment and climate stability through more extensive farming systems, and to improve the sustainability of intensive systems;

Added:59. Urges the Commission and the Member States to ensure that regulatory frameworks related to livestock are developed transparently, based on sound science, with full stakeholder engagement, especially from farmers and livestock producer organisations, and with long-term scenarios that allow for progressive adaptation; recommends that the decision-making process be underpinned by real public consultations, detailed impact studies and continuous feedback mechanisms to ensure effective and locally accepted implementation;

Added:60. Calls for more policy space to be provided to facilitate a target-based approach, through farm-based benchmarking instead of top-down measures, meaning that farmers should be free to choose which measures to take, as long as they contribute to the set objectives;

Added:61. Invites the Commission to propose tools to enhance the role of livestock production in maintaining environmentally and climatically valuable grasslands through more extensive farming systems and improve the sustainability of intensive systems;

Social dimension of livestock farming and sector-specific challenges

62. Stresses that the development of livestock policies must be firmly grounded in the highest scientific standards, ensuring a balanced and comprehensive understanding of the contributions and challenges associated with animal agriculture;

Change 26

Changed:42.63. Underlines the importance of transparent, accessible and evidence-based scientific communication to counteract misinformation and ideological bias in public debates on livestock and meat production and consumption; points out, in this regard, that the World Health Organization encourages the consumption of animal proteins as part of a complete and balanced diet;

Change 27

Removed:43. Calls on the Commission to reopen the issue of meat denominations to protect animal products, provide real transparency for consumers and promote the quality of EU animal products, including by highlighting their recognised labels and short supply chains;

Added:64. Emphasises that political decisions and social perceptions should be based on sound scientific evidence reflecting the diversity of production systems, their contribution to human nutrition, the rural economy and environmental sustainability, thus promoting a more positive image of the livestock sector, and that, to this end, it is essential to enhance the dialogue between science, policymakers, producers and consumers by encouraging an informed, balanced and non-polarised approach to the role of livestock farming in European society; stresses the importance of informing consumers of the benefits of consuming animal proteins as part of a complete and balanced diet;

Removed:44. Urges policymakers at all levels to uphold evidence-based standards in the development of dietary guidelines, fully recognising the nutritional, cultural and economic importance of meat, dairy and eggs;

Added:65. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal to reopen the issue of meat denominations used to designate meat and meat cuts, in order to protect products of animal origin, and to ban their use to label products of non-animal origin, and believes that this provision should apply to cell-culture-derived products and hybrid products consisting of a mixture of animal and plant proteins; recalls that such protection exists for dairy products; stresses that clear, fair and transparent labelling is essential to provide and enhance real transparency for consumers and to promote the quality of EU animal products, including by highlighting their recognised labels and short supply chains;

Removed:45. Warns against the uncritical promotion of nutritionally inadequate food substitutes as replacements for traditional animal-sourced foods;

Added:66. Urges policymakers at all levels to uphold evidence-based standards in the development of dietary guidelines, fully recognising the nutritional, cultural and economic importance of meat, dairy and eggs, while also taking into account the affordability and actual protein intake provided by animal products in different regions;

Removed:46. Demands that the scientific method, rigorous peer-reviewed research, and transparent evidence evaluation remain the cornerstones of food policy development;

Added:67. Calls on the Commission to revise Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 to introduce mandatory origin labelling for all meat-containing products placed on the EU market, even when meat is not the main ingredient, clearly indicating an EU/non-EU origin; calls on the Commission to evaluate the feasibility of introducing a compulsory indication of the country of origin of meat when it is used as an ingredient in processed products;

Removed:47. Highlights that the scientific evidence, production scalability and consumer acceptance needed to support cellular agriculture as a viable alternative to traditional livestock farming are currently lacking; warns against its overhyped promotion as a solution to global food challenges and stresses the importance of rigorous safety, environmental and market assessments; emphasises the ecological role of ruminants and the nutritional value of natural meat, and calls on the Commission to ensure that regulatory frameworks for emerging food technologies are transparent and evidence-based and protect both consumers and the environment;

Added:68. Calls on the Commission to work with scientists to present studies on the effects of food substitutes; warns against the uncritical promotion of nutritionally and environmentally inadequate food substitutes as replacements for traditional animal-sourced foods, including those that do not provide the same bioactive compounds or essential micronutrients found in natural meat from healthy animals reared in high-quality systems, and especially warns against their inclusion in food baskets for children and young people in schools; notes that traditional animal-sourced foods, together with plant-based foods, can contribute to a balanced and nutritious diet;

Removed:48. Stresses the essential role of the livestock sector in ensuring food security, job creation and economic stability across the EU, particularly in vulnerable regions such as remote, mountainous and outermost areas; recognises livestock more broadly not only as a provider of food and environmental services, but also as a driver of social responsibility, decent working conditions and rural development; underlines the importance of the CAP result indicator (I.24) on ‘Contributing to jobs in rural areas’ in focusing attention on the role of livestock farming, especially family-run and small-scale holdings, in preserving local employment;

Added:69. Demands that the Commission conduct a comprehensive impact assessment based on the latest scientific evidence and proper consultation with all relevant stakeholders before presenting new legislative proposals affecting the agricultural sector;

Added:70. Expresses deep concern about the increasing drive to promote synthetic foods, such as lab-grown proteins, without there being conclusive scientific evidence regarding their safety, industrial viability and environmental benefits; underlines the need to conduct proper impact assessments based on scientific evidence, taking into account all aspects related to safety, environmental impact, market implications and consumer protection before proposing any new regulatory framework for emerging food technologies, in particular through clear and appropriate labelling;

Added:71. Emphasises the ecological role of ruminants and the nutritional value of natural meat, and stresses that synthetic food production is greatly dependent on highly industrialised, energy-intensive processes that require significant levels of chemical inputs, which is at odds with the principles of sustainability advocated by the EU; points out that, to date, synthetic food has neither been a viable solution nor a safe alternative to traditional agriculture and livestock production, and that its promotion could endanger thousands of family farms; calls on the Commission to undertake rigorous and independent assessments of synthetic food products as regards health, environmental and socioeconomic impacts, together with consumer protection concerns and impacts on traditional agriculture and livestock production; calls for the existing regulatory frameworks to be clearly focused on protecting consumers, European producers and rural areas;

Added:72. Stresses the essential role of the livestock sector in contributing to food security, job creation, the preservation and promotion of localism, and economic stability across the EU; recognises livestock more broadly not only as a provider of food and environmental services, but also as a driver of social responsibility, decent working conditions and rural development; underlines the importance of the CAP result indicator (I.24) on ‘Contributing to jobs in rural areas’ in focusing attention on the role of livestock farming, especially family-run and small-scale holdings;

Added:73. Stresses that without adequate financing, the sector will become increasingly unattractive to young people, posing a risk not only of job losses but also of a decline in the EU’s nutritional and social competitiveness;

Added:74. Points out the importance of acknowledging and highlighting the fundamental role played by women on livestock farms where, alongside daily farm work, they are often responsible for managing and transmitting knowledge between generations; emphasises, in this regard, that family farming, in which women and the family play a central role, is the backbone of European livestock production and should be supported by specific policies that recognise its economic, social and cultural importance; considers, therefore, that European public policies should include a more effective gender perspective by promoting targeted measures to support women farmers, ensuring equal opportunities, visibility for their contributions and improved access to training, funding and representation in decision-making processes;

Added:75. Stresses the essential role of agriculture and livestock production in providing social benefits to communities in terms of maintaining open space, education, and the provision of care for people with specific needs in the form of on-farm ‘green care’; emphasises the need to maintain agriculture and livestock production in all EU regions, to specifically facilitate these forms of ‘green care’ and to remunerate farmers adequately for their work;

Added:76. Stresses the importance of the mental health and well-being of farmers, and calls for the inclusion of psychological support, administrative simplification and work-life balance measures, as well as measures to combat isolation in future CAP instruments;