Sustainability

New emissions rules for pig and poultry farms

The European Commission adopted common emissions rules for large pig and poultry farms. Animal nutrition, manure management, and housing are central to the new requirements. These aim to reduce emissions and cut unnecess..

Jumbo first to stock regeneratively grown potatoes

18 August 2025

Never before have they been available: potatoes grown on Dutch soil, with care for both land and farmer. Jumbo takes the lead and puts its weight behind regenerative agriculture. No vague promises, but real products, alo...

Split pea makes a comeback on Dutch fields

14 August 2025

We’ve had to wait fifty years, but it’s back: the traditional Dutch split pea. This year, De Eiwitboeren and HAK have taken the first steps to bring the crop back to Dutch fields. The first harvest is now in, and i...

One language for sustainability in the food chain

11 August 2025

More than 25 organisations in the food chain are joining forces. They are launching True Value Language, designed to measure, assess and report on sustainability performance in a single, consistent way. FNLI has been inv...

Is palm oil more sustainable than we think?

07 August 2025

Palm oil? Most of us immediately link it to deforestation, orangutans in distress, and shady practices. No surprise that “palm oil free” has become a familiar label on supermarket shelves. But is that negative image stil...

UK presents food strategy with impact on EU trade

06 August 2025

The UK government recently presented a food strategy for England, focusing on health, sustainability and economic growth. The tone is notably patriotic. The food system is expected to become not only more nutritious and ...

CO₂ Performance Ladder overhaul: what’s changing

04 August 2025

A new version of the CO₂ Performance Ladder is on the way. And it’s more than just a cosmetic update. Companies will need to reassess where they stand, and more importantly, how much work still lies ahead. From levels...

Voluntary guideline for sustainability data from SMEs

31 July 2025

Small and medium-sized enterprises aren’t exactly asking for more paperwork. Still, they’re increasingly facing questions from large customers or banks about sustainability. The European Commission is now introducing a v...

Fevia calls for change in Walloon food industry

29 July 2025

Wallonia’s food industry faced a tough year in 2024. Turnover dropped by 2.9%, and production fell to its lowest level since 2017. Exports also declined for the second year in a row. Fevia Wallonie, the federation repres...

EU deforestation law faces new uncertainty

28 July 2025

The EU's deforestation law is under pressure once again. Its implementation had already been postponed to the end of 2025, but even that deadline now seems shaky. Calls are growing to ease, or significantly weaken, the r...

Tighter rules leave bio importers struggling

25 July 2025

Stricter regulations, more paperwork, and less flexibility. Starting in March, the import process for organic products in the Netherlands will undergo major changes. And those changes are already causing headaches for im...

Lidl takes next step in reducing pesticide use

23 July 2025

Lidl is taking a new approach once again. In a two-year pilot, the supermarket, together with strawberry, potato and apple growers, aims to significantly reduce the use of chemical crop protection agents. Not just by tig...

Overijssel develops a local plant-based protein chain

23 July 2025

The province of Overijssel is working on a protein chain close to home. No distant imports, but fava beans, lupin, soy and peas, grown on Overijssel soil. Crops that suit the land, the climate, and the future. And they d...

Brussels wants its own protein sector for the EU

22 July 2025

Brussels wants to gain control over the protein market. In a recent legislative proposal, the European Commission makes it clear that it is working towards establishing a separate protein sector within the Common Agricul...

Food prices rise sharply as climate extremes hit

22 July 2025

Heatwaves, droughts, torrential rain, when the weather spirals out of control, food prices tend to follow. And sharply. New research shows how extreme weather is hitting harvests across the globe, driving price spikes th...

Brussels pushes for shorter supply chains and sustainability

21 July 2025

The European Commission is drawing a clear line: local and sustainable must become the new standard. Member States will be required to prioritise products with added societal value in their agricultural schemes. This is ...