Poultry sector

This is the letter signed by the six interprofessionals of the livestock-meat sector in response to the campaign launched by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and its head, Mr. Alberto Garzón Espinosa. In it we express our "astonishment" at what we consider to be an unjustified attack on a very important part of our population, our economy and our professionals.

From Avianza, the Spanish interprofessional poultry meat association, we could not disagree more with your statements. We are a sector that has contributed in a responsible and committed way to the healthy nutrition of society, that has not stopped working in the most complicated moments of this pandemic, when we were asked to be there to supply the population. It has made significant efforts in terms of innovation, digital transformation, sustainability and support for the Mediterranean lifestyle it mentions, of which we are a part. To exclude us or attack our sector is to erase an important part of our gastronomic culture and our contribution of value to the economy of our country.

Letter signed by ASICI, Avianza, Intercun, Interovic, Interporc and Provacuno

Dear Minister:

The six undersigned Interprofessional Organisations wish to express the astonishment of the hundreds of thousands of livestock farmers, companies, workers and technicians throughout Spain linked to the livestock and meat sectors that we represent, in the face of the campaign signed by yourself and the Ministry of which you are the head, in which you defame the entire livestock and meat sector.

It is worrying that a Spanish government minister should make a series of statements, all of them erroneous, and to do so through public channels, trying to create an artificial confrontation with a sector, the livestock-meat sector, which plays a social and economic role of the first magnitude in our country. According to the FAO, our sector generates more than 2.5 million jobs in Spain and almost 9,000 million euros in exports to Spain's trade balance.

It is irresponsible to use data in a twisted way when many of them are from the government of which it forms part, such as the official consumption data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or the data from the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.

The sector we represent will continue with its informative work by means of contrasted data, such as the following:

When he claims that excessive meat consumption has led to an increase in cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and even some types of cancer, he should know that all international indicators show that Spain's dietary and lifestyle pattern is one of the best in the world, offering profiles that place Spain at the forefront of the world:

Spain is the healthiest country in the world (according to Bloomberg's Healthiest Country Index).

Spain is the country with the highest life expectancy in the world (according to the IHME of the University of Washington and the prestigious scientific journal The Lancet).

Spain is the country with the highest life expectancy in the European Union (according to the European Commission's "State of Health in the EU 2019" report).

Spain has a rate well below the average cancer incidence rate of all OECD countries (according to the "Health at Glance 2019" study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

When you claim that it takes 15,000 litres of water to produce 1 kg of meat, you should know that 90% of the water attributed to meat production is "green water" from rain, which would continue to fall if the animals were to disappear. Only 10% corresponds to "blue water" and "grey water", which is less than that of many vegetable crops.

When you claim that 14.5% of global greenhouse gases come from livestock farming, you should know that:

Livestock production and manure account for only 5.8% of emissions (Climate Watch and World Resources Institute, Our World in Data. Oxford University. 2020).

Energy, whether in the form of electricity, heat, transport or industrial processes, accounts for the majority (74%) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The global food system, which encompasses production and post-agricultural processes such as processing and distribution, accounts for the remaining 26% of emissions. And of that 26%, livestock and fisheries account for only one third (Joseph Poore and Thomas Nemecek. Science, 2018).

80% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock in the world come from developing countries (FAO, 2017). We cannot contribute to climate change mitigation with a Eurocentric view.

Emission intensities (_CO2 eq/kg meat) vary between different areas of the world. In our environment (Western Europe) we have one of the lowest emission intensities in the world (FAO, 2017). Our production systems are more efficient in feed use, management and animal health. As a result, we produce fewer emissions per unit of final product.

It is important to remember that in Spain, according to official data from the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory -Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge-, livestock meat production accounts for 27% of these emissions, followed by industry with 19.9%, electricity generation (17.8%), fuel consumption (8.5%) and industrial processes and the use of fuels (8.5%). emissions account for only 7.8% of our country's total GHG emissions. In contrast, transport accounts for 27% of these emissions, followed by industry with 19.9%, electricity generation (17.8%), fuel consumption (8.5%) and industrial processes and the use of other products (8%) (MITECO, 2020).

It is also important to remember that methane produced in agriculture accounts for around 27% of the total methane emitted worldwide. This methane is part of a biogenic cycle (it is transformed into_CO2 and_H2Oin 12 years), which is then absorbed by plants in photosynthesis. With stable livestock censuses, we do not increase_CO2 in the atmosphere over time, so we do not contribute to warming as fossil fuel consumption is doing. Therefore, our emission reductions contribute to climate change mitigation, as do other economic sectors.

When he claims that "the abuse of antibiotics jeopardises their efficacy for both animals and humans", he should know that:

The use of antibiotics as growth promoters in farm animals has been banned since 2006 (Directive 2001/82/EC and its subsequent amendments). Only sometimes, as in the case of humans, it is necessary to treat food-producing animals for bacterial diseases. The responsible use of medicines ensures the welfare of animals, and that the food they produce is safe and wholesome.

European legislation regulates which medicines and how they can be used to treat animals. Thus, only medicines that have been authorised following a scientifically based risk assessment with a favourable outcome may be used.

This has also been confirmed by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) indicating that Spain reduced sales of veterinary antibiotics by 13.6% in 2019, being a reduction of 58.8% between 2014 and 2019 (National Antibiotic Resistance Plan).

At European level, according to the latest report of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) on the monitoring of residues of veterinary medicinal products and other substances in animals and products of animal origin, only 0.30% of non-compliances were detected in 2019. Thus, EFSA concludes that there is a high level of compliance and that the European monitoring system is robust and contributes to consumer protection.

As you know, a few months ago we had the opportunity to meet with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, with whom we had a very cordial and fruitful meeting. At the meeting, we presented all the sectoral initiatives to support the country's recovery from the serious pandemic situation. These initiatives include strong commitments in the areas of sustainability and the transition towards production models based on climate neutrality and circularity, as well as quality employment, territorial structuring, equal opportunities and balanced and healthy consumption patterns for the entire population.

We said it at the meeting and we reiterate it now: the livestock-meat sector contributes to job creation and creates opportunities and has strong environmental commitments with verifiable results. From the sector, we will continue on the path of institutional collaboration and dialogue; and we will continue to trust that our public officials will contribute, with their attitude and their statements, to this climate of understanding and not to building a confrontation that does not exist.

Yours sincerely,