Meat
Reduced consumption of meat, or switching to a plant-based diet, are important steps to reach global climate goals. The criteria provide the opportunity to influence the procurement of meat by taking sustainability aspects into account, such as requirements for sustainably produced feed, naturally pastured meat and animal health and welfare.
Filter
Criteria group
Download | Description | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
EU-organic product | Core | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Organic production promotes sustainable agriculture. Organic farming should respect nature's ecosystems and different natural cycles, and strive to maintain and improve the quality of soil, water, plant health and the health of animals. The balance between all elements is to be maintained and preferably improved. Criterion text Food products must be produced in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council on organic production and labelling of organic products. | |||||
Organic product - addition beef | Advanced | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Organic beef production includes allowing the animals to spend as much time as possible grazing outdoors. Feed must be largely produced on the farm itself, be free from GMOs and must be grown without the use of unnatural chemical pesticides and mineral fertilisers. Contracting authorities that set the sustainability requirement at the advanced level for organic product - addition (beef) also contribute to the implementation of extra measures for improving animal welfare and environmental sustainability. Criterion text Products of beef must fulfil the criteria laid down in Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parlament and of the Council on organic production and labelling of organic products, as well as the following requirements:
| |||||
Information about the origin of the raw material - meat | Core | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Transparency and traceability in the food chain are important in order to be able to check sustainability parameters in the supply chain. By requiring that information about the origin of the raw-material is to be available and controllable, the procuring organization assures that traceability in the food chain is possible. Criterion text For products made from meat, information must be provided about the country(ies) of origin of the raw material(s), and this must be available for examination when a tender is submitted. This information must also be made available or provided on request throughout the term of the contract, including for any substitute items. Information about the commodity's country(ies) of origin shall include:
| |||||
Stunning before slaughter – meat | Core | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Slaughter methods that involve animals being stunned before slaughter are very important from an animal-welfare perspective. The basic rule within the EU is that animals shall be stunned before slaughter, but member states may grant exceptions for religious or cultural reasons. Most member states grant such exceptions, but Sweden, Norway, Denmark and others do not. Criterion text Meat must be sourced from animals that have been fully stunned and are completely unconscious when they are bled. Consciousness may not return during the period between when the animal has been stunned and it has been confirmed dead, regardless of stunning method. | |||||
Transport of animals to slaughter | Core | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Animals that are transported to slaughter can be subjected to varying levels of physical and mental stress. When animals are transported over long distances, their stress can increase; it is therefore important to uphold animal welfare and keep journey times to a minimum. Criterion text Meat must be sourced from animals that have been transported for no longer than eight hours to slaughter. The transport time is how long it takes for a shipment to arrive from the point of departure to its destination, including loading and unloading. If the transport time to the nearest slaughterhouse exceeds eight hours, the transport time may on isolated occasions be extended by a maximum of three hours if the vehicle meets at least the following conditions for long-distance transportation:
| |||||
Feeding during lairage | Advanced | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Animals that are not killed immediately upon arrival at the slaughterhouse are put in lairage and may need to spend the night at the slaughterhouse. It is then important that the animals are fed so that their basic needs are met. Criterion text Meat shall be sourced from animals that are fed if the total time for transport to slaughter and lairage exceeds twelve hours. The feed shall be appropriate for the species and supplied in sufficient quantities. Ruminants shall be provided with roughage. | |||||
Surgical procedures under anaesthesia - beef and milk | Core | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Cattle are dehorned to keep the animals from injuring one another, or because the horns pose a danger to farm workers. Without anaesthesia, surgical procedures such as castration, dehorning and disbudding by cauterisation cause both pain and stress for the cattle, regardless of the age of the animal. Contracting authorities can contribute to ensuring that surgical procedures are carried out with less pain for the animals by requiring anaesthesia. Criterion text Beef and/or milk products must be derived from animals that have been anaesthetised during any and all surgical procedures, including castration, dehorning or disbudding by cauterisation. Dehorning by caustic paste, and castration by rubber ring are not permitted. | |||||
Surgical procedures with anaesthesia and analgesia - beef and milk | Advanced | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information In addition to anaesthesia given during surgical procedures on cattle such as castration, dehorning and disbudding by cauterisation, analgesia has been shown to reduce the animal’s pain-related behaviour during dehorning and castration. By setting criteria that analgesia must be administered in addition to anaesthesia, contracting authorities can contribute to surgical procedures being carried out with less stress and pain for the animals. Criterion text Beef and/or milk products must be derived from animals that have been anaesthetised during surgical procedures, including castration, dehorning or disbudding by cauterisation. Dehorning by caustic paste, and castration by rubber ring are not permitted. In addition to anaesthesia, analgesia (NSAIDs) must be administered during any and all surgical procedures. | |||||
Responsible use of antibiotics - meat and milk | Core | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information High and improper use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is associated with an increased prevalence of resistant bacteria.1 Increased antibiotics resistance constitutes a public health threat worldwide, and is an important sustainability challenge.2 Contracting authorities that set criteria regarding the responsible use of antibiotics can contribute to antibiotics being used only when necessary for the sake of an animal's health. Criterion text Animal food products must be derived from animal production where antibiotics are not used for the purpose of promoting growth or routinely as a preventative measure. Antibiotics may be given only to sick animals or as prescribed by a veterinarian to animals in groups in which disease has broken out, after a diagnosis of clinical disease in part of the group has been established. The total number of medical treatments must be documented along with the reasons for treatment and medical preparations used. 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones may be used only when microbiological examination and antimicrobial susceptibility tests show that there are no effective alternatives.
| |||||
Grazing and outdoor access - beef | Core | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Allowing animals to graze is good for their welfare and gives the animals plenty of opportunity to behave naturally. Well-managed grazing is also a resource-efficient and environmentally friendly way to raise cattle. Animals can graze in grasslands, fields, or land that cannot be used for producing other types of food. Contracting authorities who require grazing for cattle contribute to grazing animals which also can have a positive effect on biodiversity. Criterion text Beef must be derived from animals that are able to graze or otherwise have access to the outdoors for at least 60 days during the grazing season, with the exception of calves younger than six months old, bulls, and quarantined animals.
| |||||
Meat from semi-natural pastures - Grazing on semi-natural pastures - beef | Spearhead | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information The management of semi-natural pastures is important to rich biological diversity and contributes, amongst other things, to the A Varied Agricultural Landscape and A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life environmental objectives. Contracting authorities that procure meat from semi-natural pastures contribute to the continued preservation of those pasture grounds, as well as an increased biological diversity. Criterion text Beef must be derived from animals that have had outdoor access and access to pasture throughout the whole day during the grazing season. For at least half of the grazing period, animals must graze on semi-natural pastures—that is, natural grasslands that have not been fertilised (apart from the natural dung of the grazing animals), ploughed, watered or worked with machines for at least 20 years. | |||||
Roughage for calves - beef and milk | Core | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Providing calves with roughage from a young age promotes a healthy development of rumination and reduces the risk of illnesses caused by deficiencies. High-quality roughage is also positive from an environmental perspective. Contracting authorities that set criteria regarding roughage for calves contribute to good animal health and environmental benefits in farming. Criterion text Beef and/or milk products must be derived from production where calves have free access to roughage from no later than two weeks of age. | |||||
Reduced climate impact from production - beef and milk | Advanced | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Producing beef and milk can generate a considerable amount of greenhouse gas emissions through the animals' digestive process, the production of animal feed, fertilisers, and the conversion of natural land into farmland for grazing and fodder production. There are several ways to reduce the climate impact of beef and milk production, such as improving energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy and feed analysis. Contracting authorities that set criteria for reducing the climate impact of beef production can contribute to beef and milk being produced with less of an impact on the climate. Criterion text Beef and/or milk products must be derived from production where measures have been taken to reduce the climate impact. At least one of the following measures must have been implemented:
| |||||
More sustainably produced soy in animal feed | Core | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information The cultivation of soy can entail large environmental risks due to the high use of pesticides, soil erosion, along with the risk for land use change and deforestation in species-rich forest and grassland areas. Contracting organisations can specify requirements that improve the prerequisites for a transition to a more sustainable production of soy. Criterion text Animal-based foods shall come from animals where the soy1, if included in the feed, is produced in such a way that, at a minimum, it covers the following:
It is adequate that the documentation of the traceability of the soy can be shown through a segregated supply chain (Identity Preserved or Segregated), or through the principle of mass balance, or through the principle for credits (Credits/Book and Claim). | |||||
More sustainably produced palm oil in animal feed | Spearhead | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information The large-scale production of palm oil can entail serious risks for both people and the environment, such as deforestation and decreased biodiversity. The criterium contributes to improving the conditions for a transition to a more sustainable cultivation of oil palm. Criterion text Animal-based foods shall be produced from animals where products from oil palm1, if it forms part of the feed, is produced in such a way that, at a minimum, it covers the following:
It is adequate that the documentation of the traceability for products from oil palms in the animal feed can be shown through a segregated supply chain (Identity Preserved or Segregated), or through the principle of Mass Balance, or through the principle for credits (Credits/Book and Claim). | |||||
Feed without GMO-content | Spearhead | Technical specification | Beef | ||
Criterion information Purchasing organisations that wish to contribute to restriction of the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture can require animals to be fed feed that does not contain GMOs. Criterion text Products of animal origin shall come from animals that have not eaten feed consisting of, containing or produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) during the rearing period. Traces of permitted GMOs1 may only be present in a proportion not exceeding 0.9 per cent for each individual raw material, provided that the presence is unintentional or technically unavoidable. | |||||
EU-organic product | Core | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information Organic production promotes sustainable agriculture. Organic farming should respect nature's ecosystems and different natural cycles, and strive to maintain and improve the quality of soil, water, plant health and the health of animals. The balance between all elements is to be maintained and preferably improved. Criterion text Food products must be produced in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council on organic production and labelling of organic products. | |||||
Information about the origin of the raw material - meat | Core | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information Transparency and traceability in the food chain are important in order to be able to check sustainability parameters in the supply chain. By requiring that information about the origin of the raw-material is to be available and controllable, the procuring organization assures that traceability in the food chain is possible. Criterion text For products made from meat, information must be provided about the country(ies) of origin of the raw material(s), and this must be available for examination when a tender is submitted. This information must also be made available or provided on request throughout the term of the contract, including for any substitute items. Information about the commodity's country(ies) of origin shall include:
| |||||
Organic product - addition pork | Advanced | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information All organic production ensures that pigs are able to go outside, but their time outside could be on a concrete slab. The majority of the feed must be produced on the farm, all feed must be free from GMOs and must be grown without the use of unnatural chemical pesticides and mineral fertilisers. Contracting authorities that use sustainability criteria at the advanced level for organic products with addendum for pork contribute, to pigs being given greater opportunity to root around on grazing land/forest floors. Criterion text Products of pork must meet requirements in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parlament and of the Council on organic production and labelling of organic products, as well as the following requirements:
| |||||
Transport of animals to slaughter | Core | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information Animals that are transported to slaughter can be subjected to varying levels of physical and mental stress. When animals are transported over long distances, their stress can increase; it is therefore important to uphold animal welfare and keep journey times to a minimum. Criterion text Meat must be sourced from animals that have been transported for no longer than eight hours to slaughter. The transport time is how long it takes for a shipment to arrive from the point of departure to its destination, including loading and unloading. If the transport time to the nearest slaughterhouse exceeds eight hours, the transport time may on isolated occasions be extended by a maximum of three hours if the vehicle meets at least the following conditions for long-distance transportation:
| |||||
Stunning before slaughter – meat | Core | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information Slaughter methods that involve animals being stunned before slaughter are very important from an animal-welfare perspective. The basic rule within the EU is that animals shall be stunned before slaughter, but member states may grant exceptions for religious or cultural reasons. Most member states grant such exceptions, but Sweden, Norway, Denmark and others do not. Criterion text Meat must be sourced from animals that have been fully stunned and are completely unconscious when they are bled. Consciousness may not return during the period between when the animal has been stunned and it has been confirmed dead, regardless of stunning method. | |||||
Feeding during lairage | Advanced | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information Animals that are not killed immediately upon arrival at the slaughterhouse are put in lairage and may need to spend the night at the slaughterhouse. It is then important that the animals are fed so that their basic needs are met. Criterion text Meat shall be sourced from animals that are fed if the total time for transport to slaughter and lairage exceeds twelve hours. The feed shall be appropriate for the species and supplied in sufficient quantities. Ruminants shall be provided with roughage. | |||||
Surgical procedures under anaesthesia - pork | Core | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information Surgical procedures, such as castration, are painful and stressing for piglets. The administration of anaesthesia before surgical procedures helps to reduce an animal's suffering in connection with the procedure. Contracting authorities that set criteria for the use of anaesthesia during surgical procedures contribute to ensuring that these procedures are carried out with less pain for the animals. Criterion text Pork must be derived from animals that have been anaesthetised during any and all surgical procedures. If piglets are castrated surgically, they must be anaesthetised for the procedure. | |||||
Surgical procedures with anaesthesia and analgesia - pork | Advanced | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information In addition to anaesthesia given during castration, administering analgesia during the procedure can prolong theeffect of the anaesthesia, and has also been shown to reduce the amount of pain-related behaviour after the procedure. By requiring that analgesia must always be administered in addition to anaesthesia, contracting authorities can contribute to surgical procedures causing less stress and pain for the animals. Criterion text Pork must be derived from animals that have been anaesthetised during any and all surgical procedures. If piglets are castrated surgically, they must be anaesthetised for the procedure. In addition to anaesthesia, analgesia (NSAIDs) must be administered during any and all surgical procedures. | |||||
Prohibition against tail docking - pork | Core | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information Tail docking, which entails the removal of part or all of a pig's tail, is a painful procedure that can cause chronic pain and/or infection. Following the procedure, the stub becomes extremely sensitive to touch, as so-called traumatic neuroma occurs. The purpose of tail docking is usually to avoid tail biting but can lead to other parts of the body, such as the ears and legs, being injured instead.1 Requirements that forbid tail docking can help to reduce the prevalence of routine tail docking an unnecessary pain for the pigs. Criterion text Pork must be produced from animals whose tails have not been removed for preventative purposes, such as to avoid tail injuries. A pig's tail may only be treated for medical reasons, and the procedure may only be performed by a veterinarian. | |||||
Responsible use of antibiotics - meat and milk | Core | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information High and improper use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is associated with an increased prevalence of resistant bacteria.1 Increased antibiotics resistance constitutes a public health threat worldwide, and is an important sustainability challenge.2 Contracting authorities that set criteria regarding the responsible use of antibiotics can contribute to antibiotics being used only when necessary for the sake of an animal's health. Criterion text Animal food products must be derived from animal production where antibiotics are not used for the purpose of promoting growth or routinely as a preventative measure. Antibiotics may be given only to sick animals or as prescribed by a veterinarian to animals in groups in which disease has broken out, after a diagnosis of clinical disease in part of the group has been established. The total number of medical treatments must be documented along with the reasons for treatment and medical preparations used. 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones may be used only when microbiological examination and antimicrobial susceptibility tests show that there are no effective alternatives.
| |||||
Pigs in loose housing | Core | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information Pigs in loose housing are able to express natural behaviour in more ways than pigs whose freedom of movement is limited for long periods of time. Freedom of movement may, however, need to be temporarily limited during feeding, care and treatment, or when pigs display aggressive behaviour. Contracting authorities that set criteria for the use of loose housing help to encourage production that allows pigs to express more of their natural behaviour. Criterion text Pork must be derived from production where all pigs are kept in loose housing systems during the entire breeding period. Sows may not be restrained when farrowing. In exceptional cases, if sows exhibit aggressive or abnormal behaviour that clearly puts piglets in danger, freedom of movement may be temporarily restricted with the help of a protective gate or similar for a maximum of three days. Protective gates or similar arrangements may also be used temporarily if the sow's behaviour constitutes a clear risk to the safety of the handler, or if the sow is being handled for treatment and procedures. A pig that is especially aggressive towards other pigs may be kept temporarily on its own in a compartment where it is able to turn around without difficulty. | |||||
Chewable and manipulable material (litter) - pork | Core | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information When pigs have access to suitable litter in quantities that satisfy their need to stay occupied the risk of tail biting is reduced and the ability to express their natural behaviour increases. Examples of suitable litter include straw, peat, wood shavings, hay, and combinations thereof.1 Contracting authorities that set criteria regarding the permanent access to litter help to satisfy the occupational needs of pigs and increase their ability to express normal behaviour. Criterion text Pork must be derived from pigs that have daily access to litter materials, such as straw, peat or shavings. Litter for pigs must be malleable and supplied in sufficient quantity so as to provide the comfort and occupation that pigs need. During the week prior to farrowing, sows and gilts must have access to litter for their nesting behaviour. | |||||
More sustainably produced soy in animal feed | Core | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information The cultivation of soy can entail large environmental risks due to the high use of pesticides, soil erosion, along with the risk for land use change and deforestation in species-rich forest and grassland areas. Contracting organisations can specify requirements that improve the prerequisites for a transition to a more sustainable production of soy. Criterion text Animal-based foods shall come from animals where the soy1, if included in the feed, is produced in such a way that, at a minimum, it covers the following:
It is adequate that the documentation of the traceability of the soy can be shown through a segregated supply chain (Identity Preserved or Segregated), or through the principle of mass balance, or through the principle for credits (Credits/Book and Claim). | |||||
More sustainably produced palm oil in animal feed | Spearhead | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information The large-scale production of palm oil can entail serious risks for both people and the environment, such as deforestation and decreased biodiversity. The criterium contributes to improving the conditions for a transition to a more sustainable cultivation of oil palm. Criterion text Animal-based foods shall be produced from animals where products from oil palm1, if it forms part of the feed, is produced in such a way that, at a minimum, it covers the following:
It is adequate that the documentation of the traceability for products from oil palms in the animal feed can be shown through a segregated supply chain (Identity Preserved or Segregated), or through the principle of Mass Balance, or through the principle for credits (Credits/Book and Claim). | |||||
Feed without GMO-content | Spearhead | Technical specification | Pork | ||
Criterion information Purchasing organisations that wish to contribute to restriction of the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture can require animals to be fed feed that does not contain GMOs. Criterion text Products of animal origin shall come from animals that have not eaten feed consisting of, containing or produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) during the rearing period. Traces of permitted GMOs1 may only be present in a proportion not exceeding 0.9 per cent for each individual raw material, provided that the presence is unintentional or technically unavoidable. | |||||
EU-organic product | Core | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information Organic production promotes sustainable agriculture. Organic farming should respect nature's ecosystems and different natural cycles, and strive to maintain and improve the quality of soil, water, plant health and the health of animals. The balance between all elements is to be maintained and preferably improved. Criterion text Food products must be produced in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council on organic production and labelling of organic products. | |||||
Organic product - supplementary lamb and mutton | Advanced | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information In organic production feed must be largely produced on the farm itself, be free from GMOs and must be grown without the use of unnatural chemical pesticides and mineral fertilisers. Contracting authorities that set the sustainability requirement at the advanced level for organic product also contribute to the implementation of extra measures for improving animal welfare and environmental sustainability, such as longer grazing period. Criterion text Products of lamb and mutton must be produced in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parlament and of the Council on organic production and labelling of organic products, as well as the following requirements:
| |||||
Information about the origin of the raw material - meat | Core | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information Transparency and traceability in the food chain are important in order to be able to check sustainability parameters in the supply chain. By requiring that information about the origin of the raw-material is to be available and controllable, the procuring organization assures that traceability in the food chain is possible. Criterion text For products made from meat, information must be provided about the country(ies) of origin of the raw material(s), and this must be available for examination when a tender is submitted. This information must also be made available or provided on request throughout the term of the contract, including for any substitute items. Information about the commodity's country(ies) of origin shall include:
| |||||
Stunning before slaughter – meat | Core | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information Slaughter methods that involve animals being stunned before slaughter are very important from an animal-welfare perspective. The basic rule within the EU is that animals shall be stunned before slaughter, but member states may grant exceptions for religious or cultural reasons. Most member states grant such exceptions, but Sweden, Norway, Denmark and others do not. Criterion text Meat must be sourced from animals that have been fully stunned and are completely unconscious when they are bled. Consciousness may not return during the period between when the animal has been stunned and it has been confirmed dead, regardless of stunning method. | |||||
Transport of animals to slaughter | Core | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information Animals that are transported to slaughter can be subjected to varying levels of physical and mental stress. When animals are transported over long distances, their stress can increase; it is therefore important to uphold animal welfare and keep journey times to a minimum. Criterion text Meat must be sourced from animals that have been transported for no longer than eight hours to slaughter. The transport time is how long it takes for a shipment to arrive from the point of departure to its destination, including loading and unloading. If the transport time to the nearest slaughterhouse exceeds eight hours, the transport time may on isolated occasions be extended by a maximum of three hours if the vehicle meets at least the following conditions for long-distance transportation:
| |||||
Feeding during lairage | Advanced | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information Animals that are not killed immediately upon arrival at the slaughterhouse are put in lairage and may need to spend the night at the slaughterhouse. It is then important that the animals are fed so that their basic needs are met. Criterion text Meat shall be sourced from animals that are fed if the total time for transport to slaughter and lairage exceeds twelve hours. The feed shall be appropriate for the species and supplied in sufficient quantities. Ruminants shall be provided with roughage. | |||||
Surgical procedures under anaesthesia – meat and milk from lamb, sheep and goat | Core | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information Castration of male lambs can be done to prevent unwanted mating when the lambs have reached sexual maturity, amongst other things. Goats may be dehorned to prevent them from harming each other. Without anaesthesia, such surgical procedures cause both pain and stress for the animals, regardless of their age. Contracting organisations can contribute to ensuring that surgical procedures are carried out with less pain and stress for the animals by requiring the use of anaesthesia. Criterion text Meat and milk products must be derived from animals that have been anaesthetised during any and all surgical procedures, including castration and dehorning. Dehorning by caustic paste, and castration by rubber ring are not permitted. | |||||
Responsible use of antibiotics - meat and milk | Core | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information High and improper use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is associated with an increased prevalence of resistant bacteria.1 Increased antibiotics resistance constitutes a public health threat worldwide, and is an important sustainability challenge.2 Contracting authorities that set criteria regarding the responsible use of antibiotics can contribute to antibiotics being used only when necessary for the sake of an animal's health. Criterion text Animal food products must be derived from animal production where antibiotics are not used for the purpose of promoting growth or routinely as a preventative measure. Antibiotics may be given only to sick animals or as prescribed by a veterinarian to animals in groups in which disease has broken out, after a diagnosis of clinical disease in part of the group has been established. The total number of medical treatments must be documented along with the reasons for treatment and medical preparations used. 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones may be used only when microbiological examination and antimicrobial susceptibility tests show that there are no effective alternatives.
| |||||
Grazing and outdoor access - meat and milk from lamb, sheep and goat | Core | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information Allowing animals to graze and spend time outside is positive for their health and gives the animals good opportunities to behave naturally. Well-managed grazing is also a resource-efficient and environmentally sustainable way of raising animals because it reduces the need for other feed. Animals can graze in grasslands, fields, or land that cannot be used for producing other types of food. Contracting authorities that set requirements for grassland farming and/or time spent in the open air also contribute to grazing that can have positive effects on biological diversity. Criterion text Meat and milk products must be derived from animals that have been able to graze or otherwise have access to the outdoors for a continuous period of at least two months per year during the grazing season as defined in the country of production. | |||||
More sustainably produced soy in animal feed | Core | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information The cultivation of soy can entail large environmental risks due to the high use of pesticides, soil erosion, along with the risk for land use change and deforestation in species-rich forest and grassland areas. Contracting organisations can specify requirements that improve the prerequisites for a transition to a more sustainable production of soy. Criterion text Animal-based foods shall come from animals where the soy1, if included in the feed, is produced in such a way that, at a minimum, it covers the following:
It is adequate that the documentation of the traceability of the soy can be shown through a segregated supply chain (Identity Preserved or Segregated), or through the principle of mass balance, or through the principle for credits (Credits/Book and Claim). | |||||
More sustainably produced palm oil in animal feed | Spearhead | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information The large-scale production of palm oil can entail serious risks for both people and the environment, such as deforestation and decreased biodiversity. The criterium contributes to improving the conditions for a transition to a more sustainable cultivation of oil palm. Criterion text Animal-based foods shall be produced from animals where products from oil palm1, if it forms part of the feed, is produced in such a way that, at a minimum, it covers the following:
It is adequate that the documentation of the traceability for products from oil palms in the animal feed can be shown through a segregated supply chain (Identity Preserved or Segregated), or through the principle of Mass Balance, or through the principle for credits (Credits/Book and Claim). | |||||
Feed without GMO-content | Spearhead | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information Purchasing organisations that wish to contribute to restriction of the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture can require animals to be fed feed that does not contain GMOs. Criterion text Products of animal origin shall come from animals that have not eaten feed consisting of, containing or produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) during the rearing period. Traces of permitted GMOs1 may only be present in a proportion not exceeding 0.9 per cent for each individual raw material, provided that the presence is unintentional or technically unavoidable. | |||||
Meat from semi-natural pastures - Grazing on semi-natural pastures - Lamb and mutton | Spearhead | Technical specification | Lamb and mutton | ||
Criterion information The management of semi-natural pastures is important to rich biological diversity and contributes, amongst other things, to the A Varied Agricultural Landscape and A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life environmental objectives. Contracting authorities that procure meat from semi-natural pastures contribute to the continued preservation of those pasture grounds, as well as an increased biological diversity. Criterion text Lamb and mutton must be derived from animals that have had outdoor access and access to pasture troughout the whole day during the grazing season. For at least half of the grazing period, animals must graze on semi-natural pastures—that is, natural grasslands that have not been fertilised (apart from the natural dung of the grazing animals), ploughed, watered or worked with machines for at least 20 years. |
Meat is a source of many nutrients, such as vitamin B12, iron and protein, but is also the food type that affects the environment the most. According to the latest adult dietary survey, we each eat approximately 50-55 kg of meat (including poultry) in Sweden every year.1 The total consumption—that is, the amount of meat in carcass weight that is required to satisfy consumption—amounts to 85 kg per person per year, but that also includes bones and wastage that occurs along the food chain.2
Reducing meat consumption in the western world is an important contribution to achieving global climate objectives, and many plant-based alternatives are available on the market today. However, when meat is to be consumed, there is great potential for selecting products according to sustainability aspects and thereby contributing to positive effects on biological diversity and open landscapes etc. The production of meat and other foodstuffs of animal origin varies greatly in, for example, the type of animal, the production systems and animal husbandry. The environmental and climate impact from different meat products therefore also varies greatly. Contracting authorities that take sustainability aspects into account when procuring various meat products can therefore contribute to making a difference with regards to impact on the climate, the emission of substances damaging to the environment or the health, biological diversity, animal health and animal welfare.
Livestock production accounts for about 15 percent of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions.3 Large areas of land are used globally for the production of animal feed and grazing. The consumption of meat is therefore associated with a considerable impact on the climate, regardless of where and how it is produced.4 Due to the animals' digestion systems, the production of beef and lamb gives rise to the emission of methane, which is a more powerful greenhouse gas compared with carbon dioxide, but it stays in the atmosphere for a shorter length of time.5 The production of pork generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions, but does not have the same positive effects on preserving biological diversity and a varied agricultural landscape as do grazing animals.
As with all kinds of farming, animal production leads to the emission of nutrients and chemicals into surrounding ecosystems, such as results when using fertilisers and plant protection products. Organic production also causes emissions, but does not involve the use of synthetically produced chemical plant protection products, so that the emission of unnatural substances into the environment is reduced.6 Organic production also contributes positively to biodiversity.7
Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union states that, when designing and implementing the Union's policies, the European Union and its member states must fully take into account the welfare of animals as sentient beings.8 Preventative animal healthcare measures and good animal welfare additionally contribute to more effective animal production and help to keep the use of antibiotics at a minimum. All antibiotics use increases the risk of antibiotic resistance, which constitutes one of the greatest threats to public health worldwide.9
Something that all meat producers have in common is that their greatest impact is caused by the use of feedstuffs and animal husbandry; transports and packaging constitutes a relatively small portion of the environmental footprint from each kilogramme of meat.10
2 Read more on the Swedish board of agriculture's website
4 Read more on the Swedish board of agriculture's website
5 Ibid.
8 Fördraget om Europeiska Unionens Funktionssätt, 2009