The European Union has launched a campaign to promote food and beverage products in the United States.
This communication campaign emphasizes the safety, quality and reliability of European products.
The EU is the third largest supplier of agricultural products and agri-food products to the United States, after Mexico and Canada.
Product categories featured include cheese, olive oil, fruits and vegetables, chocolate and confectionery products, pasta and bakery products, wine, beer and spirits.
The EU has several quality schemes to protect the name of certain products and promote their features, such as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). Items are tied to these origins and cannot be reproduced elsewhere. For PDO designated products, all parts of the production, processing and preparation process must take place in a specific region, whereas PGI is less stringent.
The use of pesticides, herbicides, additives, fragrances and enzymes is regulated in 27 EU countries. Strict health and safety standards are in place throughout the supply chain from field to consumer, from pesticides to packaging, disease prevention and hygiene.
Learn more at events such as Charleston Wine + Food and South by Southwest in Texas in March, Vinexpo in New York in June, and the American Cheese Association Conference in Buffalo in July. You can take a look.
State aid to the Czech Republic
Meanwhile, the European Commission has approved two Czech programs with a budget of around 1.46 billion euros ($1.6 billion) to prevent the spread of certain poultry and pig diseases.
The Czech Republic has informed the European Commission of its plans to support farmers in disease prevention and the introduction of biosecurity measures. The aim is to stop the spread of avian influenza, salmonella, poultry campylobacteriosis, porcine brucellosis, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, and salmonellosis.
The measure will be in place until December 2029 and will target small and medium-sized farmers in the Czech Republic who have implemented disinfection, insect and rodent control and other biosecurity measures.
The assistance will be in the form of a direct grant to support additional costs such as cleaning farm grounds and equipment, treatment of feed and water, and veterinary intervention. Up to 50% of eligible expenses will be covered.
“These €1.46 billion Czech schemes will ensure the production of healthy and safe food. It will contribute to achieving the EU’s agricultural objective of ensuring long-term food security without undue distortion,” said Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager. Competition policy.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here. )