CAP at the Crossroads – Reforming EU CAP subsidies to support healthy sustainable diets

CAP at the Crossroads: Reforming EU CAP subsidies to support healthy sustainable diets, a new report from Foodrise, reveals the scale of EU common agricultural policy (CAP) subsidies directed to meat and dairy, and makes the case for reform to support healthy sustainable diets. 

• Download the full report

• Read the press release

What’s the problem? 

Animal-sourced foods are estimated to cause a staggering 81-86% of the total greenhouse gas emissions from EU food production, yet only supply an estimated 32% of calories and 64% of protein consumed in the EU. 

This new report reveals that a hugely unfair share of EU CAP subsidies, worth billions of euros of EU taxpayers’ money, are directed to propping up high-emissions meat and dairy production, and to promote meat and dairy products. 

The EU is at a crossroads – poised to make crucial decisions on the future of CAP for 2028–2034. Right now, it has the opportunity to support a transition to healthy sustainable diets – a huge economic opportunity with multiple benefits for EU food security, climate mitigation, nature and health. Or continue with a broken status quo. 

Key findings: 

• Beef and lamb received an estimated 580 times more CAP subsidies than legumes such as lentils and beans in 2020. 

• Dairy received an estimated 554 times more CAP subsidies than nuts and seeds in 2020. 

• Meat and dairy received over 10 times more CAP subsidies than fruit and vegetable production, and more than 16 times more than cereal production. 

• Overall, the EU directed three times more CAP subsidies to production of high-emitting animal-sourced foods than to plant-based foods in 2020 – around 77% of total CAP subsidies (€39 billion out of €51 billion). 

• The estimated €39 billion in CAP subsidies spent on animal-sourced foods in 2020 makes up nearly a quarter (23%) of the EU’s total budget of €168.7 billion for 2020. 

Solutions 

Calls have been growing for agricultural subsidies to be reformed to support a shift to healthy sustainable diets and reduced livestock numbers – including the EU’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, the European Court of Auditors, the World Bank, and the 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission. 

The benefits this could bring are huge.  

The adoption of the plant-rich Planetary Health Diet in high-income countries could reduce agricultural production emissions by an estimated 61%. It could also reduce the EU’s reliance on food imports, boost agricultural incomes, reduce EU fertiliser use by about a quarter, reduce deaths from air pollution, and prevent up to up to 10–39% of cancers in Europe. 

Policy recommendations 

We recommend that EU policymakers: 

• Support protein diversification through increased CAP funding and support for farmers engaged in growing plant-based foods for direct human consumption. 

• Increase CAP funds available for the promotion and marketing of plant-based wholefoods and alternative proteins. 

• CAP subsidies for livestock farmers should be made conditional on meeting limits on livestock stocking density per hectare. 

• End all use of EU funds for the promotion and marketing of meat and dairy. 

• Support a just transition in the livestock sector, through an Agri-food Just Transition Fund (AJTF). 

• Ensure that CAP subsidies support nature restoration, of habitats such as peatlands, wild grasslands and woodlands. 

• Introduce an EU Action Plan for Plant-based Foods to support the production and consumption of more plant-based foods across every stage of the supply chain, which: 

• Promotes the public procurement of healthy sustainable plant-rich diets in public institutions like schools and hospitals 

• Provides increased financial support through CAP and other means, for the increased production and processing of plant-based foods for direct human consumption – particularly agroecologically produced foods. 

• Reform dietary guidelines to factor in both health and sustainability – aligning more with the Planetary Health Diet. 

What the experts say 

Martin Bowman, Senior Policy and Campaigns Manager at Foodrise, said: 

“It’s scandalous that such an unfair share of EU subsidies, worth billions of euros of EU taxpayers’ money, are being pumped into propping up high-emissions meat and dairy production and distorting European diets. CAP is at a crossroads, and EU policymakers have a huge opportunity to switch course and take the action required to support a just transition to healthy sustainable plant-rich diets. Which we know have the potential to boost farmer incomes, reduce reliance on imports, mitigate climate change, improve Europeans’ health and restore nature.  

“At the very least, plant-based foods deserve a fairer share of CAP subsidies, to compete on an equal footing. In line with the recommendations of the landmark Strategic Dialogue report, EU policymakers should urgently introduce a Plant-Based Action Plan to promote plant-based foods across the supply chain, and an Agri-food Just Transition Fund to support farmers in the transition. The shameful use of EU funds to promote meat and dairy to EU citizens – which is directly contrary to EU health and climate goals – should end immediately.”  

Read the full report: