Title of the presentation | November 5, 2012

Sustainable food production policy in the NetherlandsPresentation for the Round Table for Sustainable Production and Consumption of Food.

Joost de Jong20 November 2013

Title of the presentation | November 5, 2012Ministry of Economic Affairs2

Motivation• Government agreement 2012: - circular economy, green growth, stimulating a market for

sustainable sourcing, - animal welfare, - cooperation in the food chain.

• Agricultural sector is an important sector for the Dutch economy

• Increasing public and political interest for food.

Title of the presentation | November 5, 2012Ministry of Economic Affairs3

Issues / Objectives of the Dutch policy

• Increase Confidence in food• Stimulate sustainable food production• Reducing food waste• Earnings model and policy rules for competition

and sustainability• Food security

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Confidence in food• Safeguarding the integrity and safety of food• Identifying risks• The industry bears primary responsibility for product

integrity and safety.• Ambition: create a chain that is completely transparent.

• Private quality systems offer a reliable framework.

• Task government: providing frameworks and standards in relation to food safety, stringent controls and enforcement

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Sustainable food production• Higher demands consumers on products (fairness,

honesty, transparency and sustainability).• Companies are signing up to private sustainability

initiatives• For sustainable food production a good

cooperation in the food chain is necessary. • Industry and civil society organisations are

primarily responsible for the drive towards sustainable food production.

Title of the presentation | November 5, 2012Ministry of Economic Affairs6

Sustainable Food Alliance

The Sustainable Food Alliance is a partnership of the different actors in the food chain:

• Dutch Food retail Association (CBL)

• The Dutch Food Industry Federation

• The Dutch Federation of Agriculture and Horticulture (LTO)

• Dutch Federation of Catering Organisations (Veneca)

• The Royal Dutch Food Service Industry (KHN)

Title of the presentation | November 5, 2012Ministry of Economic Affairs7

Title of the presentation | November 5, 2012Ministry of Economic Affairs8

Alliance and Ministry: Food Sustainbility agenda• Sustainability in the major Dutch raw materials

and product chains in a broad sense;

• Increasing the sustainability of the meat chain;

• Reducing food waste and optimising residual waste streams;

• Improving transparency and communication;

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Role government• Stimulating and facilitating business and sectors,

stimulating and sharing ‘best practices’

• Promoting sustainable innovations

• Monitoring the progress on sustainability

• Promoting sustainable consumption• Formulate policy rules for pursuing sustainability

within the competition rules

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Reducing Food Waste• Netherlands will reduce food waste 20% in 2015 compared

with 2009• Stimulating transparency: clarity on waste figures• Consumer awareness-raising and behavioural change:

Dutch Food Nutrition Centre provides practical tools and objective information.• ‘best before date’: consumers are confused.• Supporting Business Innovation Reseach projects.• Stimulating cooperation between actors in the food chain

and the food banks.

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Food waste (2)

• In 2014 The Netherlands will organise an international conference on food waste and post-harvest losses.

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Policy rules for competition and sustainablity• A code of conduct for fair trading practices is developed

to improve the relationships within the chain (with pilots).• Are the competition rules problematic for sustainability

initiatives?• Sector organisations are invited to submit sustainability

initiatives to the ACM (Authority for Consumers and Markets)• A sustainability Knowledge Bank on ACM website • More clarity for organisations on what kind of cooperations

on sustainability is permitted within the cooperation framework.

Draft policy rules are developed.

Title of the presentation | November 5, 2012Ministry of Economic Affairs13

Food securityGlobal sustainable economic development in the agro sector

is necessary for a living income and productive employment.

By:• Productivity improvement;• Sustainable and effective chains;• Improved market access;• A better business climate.

Dutch government will support internationalisation initiatives with the Golden Trinagle of business, knowledge institutes and governments.

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Thanks• Thanks for your attention.

Joost de JongMinistry of Economic AffairsThe Netherlands0031 70 378 5930J.dejong2@minez.nl