Provacuno and Apaq-W launch the campaign “For a Sustainable Europe, the Special Mission of Beef Cattle”, an initiative to promote the sector’s sustainability

The Spanish Beef Interprofessional Organization, Provacuno, together with the Walloon agency for the promotion of quality agriculture, Apaq-W, have launched the “Sustainable European Beef” (SEUB) Promotion Plan campaign that will be carried out over the next three years (2025-2027) in Spain and Belgium, co-financed with European funds. 

Under the slogan “For a Sustainable Europe, the Special Mission of Beef”, the campaign aims to inform the public about the commitment of the European beef cattle sector to achieve the Carbon Neutral Objective 2050 and improve sustainability in general and, in particular, regarding the reduction of emissions and preservation and improvement of the soil. At the same time, the campaign also aims to inform the sector itself about the latest trends and developments available for its continuous improvement in the field of sustainability. 

In the words of Javier López, director of Provacuno: “The objective of this campaign is to show the sector’s firm commitment to sustainability in all its forms: economic, social, and environmental.” And he adds: “It is an opportunity to share with citizens all the work that the sector does to align with the climate neutrality, animal welfare, and sustainable rural development objectives set by the European Union.”  

For his part, Philippe Mattart, general director of Apaq-W, highlights the educational dimension of the project: “We want both the consumer and the producer to understand the added value of a European beef production model based on good practices and commitment to the environment. Sustainability is the way forward, and this program is a key tool to walk it together,” says the spokesperson for the Belgian agency. 

Objectives to promote sustainable measures in production

The SEUB program will develop specific actions aimed at both the public and beef cattle producers.

For citizens, the campaign aims to increase knowledge about the European beef cattle production model, characterized by its high level of demand in terms of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. It also seeks to raise awareness among the population about the importance of choosing European products that ensure good practices in animal welfare, environmental respect, and the promotion of rural development.

On the other hand, the program aims to support the European beef cattle sector —particularly the Spanish and Belgian— in their process of adaptation and continuous improvement in sustainability by facilitating access to technical information, specific training, and knowledge exchange spaces. The main objective is to promote the implementation of sustainable best practices, both in the industry and on farms, particularly those that ensure a reduction in emissions and the prevention of soil degradation and restoration.

Technological transformation of the sector to increase sustainability

The project will also launch a tool to understand the emissions of the beef cattle sector, covering both livestock production and industrial production, with the aim of further improving environmental sustainability. To this end, an API will be developed to connect an emissions calculation application with the management systems (ERPs) used in the sector, allowing farmers and industrialists to know in an automated, fast, and accurate way the emissions of their farms or industries, thus facilitating decision-making to reduce the carbon footprint.

I Symposium on the Sustainability of European Beef Cattle  

One of the highlighted actions of this first year of the campaign will be the celebration of the I Symposium on the Sustainability of European Beef Cattle, which will take place in Brussels on November 12, 2025. This event, which can be followed upon registration both in person and online, will bring together European institutional representatives, sustainability experts, producers, sector associations, and specialized media, with the aim of analyzing the current and future challenges of the beef cattle sector in Europe, exchanging good practices, and promoting the debate on the key role of livestock farming in achieving the climate and sustainability objectives set by the EU, especially regarding emission reduction and soil preservation and improvement.  

The symposium will also be a platform to present the first advances of the campaign that starts today and will serve to reinforce the collective commitment of the sector to a production model more respectful of the environment, animal welfare, and the rural environment.  

Registration is free and is now open through the website www.vacunosostenible.eu, where you can also find all the details of the new campaign launched by Provacuno and Apaq-W.  

ABOUT PROVACUNO: The Interprofessional Agri-Food Organization of Beef (Provacuno) is a private, non-profit entity with a national scope, comprised of the main organizations in the production sector and the processing/marketing sector to defend the interests of the beef sector, a meeting place and forum for debate to improve the situation of the sectoral food chain.  

ABOUT APAQ-W: The Walloon Agency for the Promotion of Quality Agriculture (Apaq-W) is a Belgian public body whose aim is to support farmers and agricultural activity by creating a specialized promotion and communication agency in the field of agriculture, including horticulture, its services, and the processing of agricultural products. The agency is dedicated to the promotion of agriculture and agri-food products and was established in 2003. It is headed by the Walloon minister in charge of agriculture. 

”Sustainable European Beef (SEUB)” is a promotion plan co-financed by European funds that follows the guidelines of Regulation (EU) No 1144/2014 on increasing awareness of the benefits of EU agricultural products and the high standards met by EU production methods. This program is especially focused on promoting and motivating producers and all agents in the value chain to adopt measures and tools aimed at the continuous improvement of sustainability. Specifically, the subtopics to be addressed are: 

1. a) Mitigation of climate change, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions derived from agricultural practices, as well as the maintenance of existing carbon stores and the reduction of emissions as well as the maintenance of existing carbon stores and the improvement of carbon capture.
2. b) Prevention of degradation, restoration, improvement of fertility, nutrient management, and soil biota.

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