MEATigation investigated the policy implications of our three principles guiding sustainable meat use – the 3Rs for Sustainable Meat Use
R1: Recognise the people and animals involved in making meat
R2: Replace animal-based with plant-based proteins or other low climate impact alternatives
R3: Refine the use of meat to reduce loss, waste and malnutrition
Our team at Ruralis led Focus Groups with actors in Farming, Retail and Restaurants in Norway, to develop policy recommendations considering the 3Rs. Our method consisted in presenting Focus Group participants with three scenarios designed by MEATigation researchers to align with the 3Rs. Professionals were then invited to use these scenarios as starting points for discussing policy recommendations for sustainable meat use.
Recommendations
Three concrete proposals emerged for how policy instruments can contribute to more sustainable meat use aligning with the 3Rs. Actors across the meat provision value-chain including farmers, retailers and restauranteurs aligned on their recommendation of the following policy actions:
1. Develop and implement food labelling schemes, especially to reward good animal welfare. Develop and improve labelling schemes for animal-based products, ensuring local, short-travelled, minimally processed and animal-caring products are clearly labelled.
2. Change the financial model steering food production and provision. Change financial models for food production and provision to increase subsidies for vegetable production and for production in difficult terrains, while implementing policies to control retailers’ own brand production, reduce meat imports, and promote direct producer-to-consumer sales.
3. Enhance food competences in professionals and the general public. Enhance food competences in professionals and the general public. Enhance, from an early age, knowledge of a. the processes and skills involved in preparing different foods, and b. the ecological impacts of different models of food production.