17 March, 2017
Hall of the State Council of the RS

On Friday, 17 March 2017, at 9.30 a.m., representatives of the Association EPEKA, Soc. Ent., attended the Public Consultation “From Fork to Fork: shortening the path to locally produced food, our health and sustainable supply”, organised by the MEP Dr Igor Šoltes, Ombudsman for Food Supply Chain Relations, and the Grm Novo mesto College of Rural Management. The consultation took place in the Hall of the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia.

Locally produced food is better quality, safer and healthier, and helps to sustain local jobs. Its production contributes to increasing local self-sufficiency, rural livelihoods and landscape conservation. Food production and processing employs 90 700 people in Slovenia. Public food establishments represent an important segment of consumers. Schools and kindergartens consume around €140 million worth of food a year, hospitals around €220 million, and if we add other consumers, the total value is around €0.5 billion a year. Short food chains have a lower carbon footprint and fewer negative impacts on the environment. A 1% increase in self-sufficiency would create up to 1000 new jobs in Slovenia.

Speakers at the panel will, among other things, answer the following questions:

  • What are the benefits of short production chains between producers and final consumers?
  • Is locally produced food of better quality than global supply?
  • How to increase the share of Slovenian food in public food establishments?
  • What are the most common irregularities in the supply of Slovenian public food establishments?
  • How to implement effective controls on the origin and traceability of food?
  • Which opportunities to reduce food waste should be better exploited?More about the consultation.

Participation in the consultation is free of charge, but please confirm your attendance here.
If you have any further questions, please contact: pisarna@igorsoltes.eu