News on Sustainability from Belgium

Lutosa celebrated a key milestone in its development at Waregem, with the official inauguration of a vast industrial investment project.

Brussels marked the 2nd International Day of Potato with a conference and exhibition, highlighting the crop's role in food security, sustainability, and innovation. Stakeholders called for supportive EU policies to boost the potato value chain.

Roger & Roger has been honoured as the first SDG Pioneer in Wallonia by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). This prestigious title recognizes companies that have successfully integrated sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their operations.

BELFertil and Belgapom collaborate to offer growers, crop supervisors, and advisors a new website dedicated to sustainable fertilization practices for potatoes.

As part of a package of measures for a sustainable use of natural resources, the European Commission is proposing to set legally binding food waste reduction targets to be achieved by Member States (MS) by 2030.

Copa-Cogeca, Freshfel Europe, the European Fresh Produce Association, and Europatat, the European Potato Trade Association, have taken note of the European Commission’s proposal for a Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste that was published on 30 November 2022

Potato trade association Europatat will participate in EU project WASTELESS, which aims to develop tools for measuring food loss and waste in the EU food supply chain, currently estimated at 88 million tonnes every year.

The Conference main theme was 'EUPPA driving sustainability across the potato processing sector'. It was the first gathering of the kind since the Covid-19 outbreak.

Starch Europe announced the adoption and publication of a sector-wide decarbonisation Roadmap 2019-2030.
At their yearly conference, returning this year to an in person event

When businesses behave with sustainability, it’s not only society that benefits – this can also help bring in new business. Stefaan Kennis, Director of Strategy, Market Intelligence and Sustainability at TOMRA Food.

It’s not easy for potato growers and processors to always ensure food safety or meet customers’ specified standards. For one thing, all sorts of foreign materials get mixed up with potatoes when they’re harvested.

TOMRA Food has unveiled a new brand strategy that highlights the value it creates for customers and food production worldwide, spotlights the ambition it shares with customers

The European Potato Processors’ Association (EUPPA) released a special report highlighting progress made in recent years by the sector across key areas of environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

A lot of water, energy and nutrition is lost during the processing of vegetables and potatoes. Scientists from Ghent University, together with partners Flanders' FOOD, Howest, VITO and Vlakwa, are therefore reviewing the processing process from A to Z in the VEG-i-TEC research center.

We can now confirm that INTERPOM will go ahead! From 28 to 30 November 2021, the global potato sector will be able to gather in Kortrijk Xpo, as it used to do in the past.

Lamb Weston / Meijer's commitment to preserving nature, and its resources, while caring for neighbors contributes to their overall growth and success. These shared virtues and values are just another reason why their partnership with TOMRA Food makes for a perfect match.

Starch Europe today welcomed the much-anticipated publication of the European Commission’s EU Farm to Fork Strategy. Starch Europe and its members strongly support the Commission’s climate neutrality ambition and the important role a more sustainable food system plays to achieve that objective.

Europatat welcomes the Farm to Fork Strategy published today by the European Commission. There is a need to secure a fair, healthy, and environmentally-friendly food system, a message that the potato sector fully endorses.