Copa and Cogeca launch #EUFarmRecipes book

Copa and Cogeca launched a new #EUFarmRecipes book showcasing recipes from across the EU, each with a story to tell, to let consumers know that farmers and their cooperatives are the first producers of their food.

The new farm recipe book provides delicious, nutritious recipes from across the EU, with each recipe showcasing the farmer behind it, stating how the food was produced and its history to show consumers the real value of their food. The many nutritional benefits of food and the importance of taking time out to cook and to enjoy precious mealtimes with family, colleagues and friends is also underlined.

More and more, there are also farm open days taking place across Europe, with farm schools and on-farm cooking activities, bringing consumers closer to agriculture.

Launching the book at the event, EU Farm Commissioner Phil Hogan said “I want to offer my warm congratulations to Copa and Cogeca on the publication of this excellent book. Food is at the centre of our European identity. Every EU Member State and every EU Region has one or more food or drink products, or recipes, associated with it. This helps to generate a hugely important consumer interest in food, and it also instils a sense of local pride. Of course, we must celebrate the stories and traditions behind our food products, but let's never lose sight of the farming men and women that grew these products in the first place!"

MEP Clara Eugenia Aguilera Garcia insisted “Agriculture is much more than an economic sector. The fact that there is a wide range of healthy, quality food available to European consumers is not down to how any particular supermarket operates. Our food - the result of our farmers’ hard labour - is what goes into defining our gastronomy, culture and lifestyle."

Copa Vice-President Roberto Moncalvo said “As farmers, we have always been engaged in providing nutritious, safe and quality food to consumers. We stand side by side - farmers and consumers - and we share a common vision of sustainability, wellness, and safety. The food we bring to the consumers’ table tells a story of tradition and innovation, passion for farming and love for our land. A story that deserves to be shared widely”.

But Annette Toft, Chairwoman of Copa & Cogeca Foodstuffs Working Party warned “We are deeply concerned about recent developments in the area of nutritional labelling, in particular about the introduction of colour coding on labels, which demonstrate an overly simplistic approach towards agricultural produce and a balanced diet. With this system, some of the many nutritional benefits that our agriculture produce has to offer is ignored which ends up misleading consumers about the true value of their food”.

The recipe book can be viewed online here.