Nutrients in Europe; industry embraces the nutrient loss reduction challenge
EU officials, industry and other stakeholder groups shared their visions for sustainable nutrient use during a webinar organised by the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform ESPP on 27th of November.
The webinar, “Nutrients in EU Farm-to-Fork Policy” consisted of two parts. During the first part of the webinar, under the headline “Nutrients in EU Green Deal policies: from objective to actions”, nutrients were approached from several perspectives. The speakers were in unison about the critical need to reduce nutrient losses from the food cycle. But, given the range of perspectives and interests represented, on several subjects, the speakers emphasized different aspects – for example which nutrients or which methods need to be prioritised. The importance of soil improvement via organic fertilizers was also addressed.
Fertilisers Europe took a step forward when the representative of the organisation presented the mineral fertiliser industry’s response to the challenge of nutrient sustainability. The industry accepts the challenge, the representative stated, but considers a 50 % cut to nutrient losses by 2030 too ambitious a target and sees a 20 % reduction as more realistic. The organisation urges the recognition of national and regional differences and the seizing of opportunities that digital farming and ready-to-use tools for analysing nutrient use efficiency create.
The second part of the webinar was used for finalising the ESPP’s input to the forthcoming EU Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan. SuMaNu partner Erik Sindhöj from RISE was one of the panellists of the webinar.
The ESPP input to the EU Integrated Nutrient Management Action Plan