A guide for manufacturers, processors, retailers and foodservice operators wanting to prepare for the EU's Livestock Strategy and Protein Action Plan.
The EU Livestock Strategy and Protein Action Plan, announced by the European Commission on 7 July 2026, is a first-of-its-kind plan for EU farming.
It lays out an ambitious roadmap to tackle economic, environmental and market challenges, transitioning the €400 billion livestock industry toward greater long-term resilience.
But the implications extend far beyond the farmgate. With new expectations for origin data, welfare verification, protein sourcing mix and biosecurity records, the EU’s new vision for European livestock farming looks set to cascade down the supply chain, affecting manufacturers, processors, retailers and QSR operators alike.
At its core, the EU Livestock Strategy sets out five priorities for the future of European livestock farming. Crisis preparedness, competitiveness, sustainability, regional diversity, excellence in production.
These are driven by the need to reduce risk exposure for farmers, boost profitability, improve animal welfare, support vulnerable under-resourced regions, and strengthened origin labelling, geographical indicators and higher standards.
It also sets out a target to increase the share of EU-grown protein in animal feed from 25.8% to 35% by 2035 (the “35 by 35 target) in a bid to reduce reliance on imported soy.
We break down the key impacts of the EU Livestock Strategy and Protein Action Plan on manufacturers, processors, retailers and foodservice operators.
Processors should prepare for greater scrutiny of both supplier data and sourcing decisions as the strategy takes effect.
To get ahead of the curve, design qualification and traceability processes for those protein inputs that don’t yet have an established compliance history in your supplier system now.
Public-facing retailers will need confidence that every claim made on pack can be backed by robust supplier data.
Check early whether current supplier and provenance data holds up against higher requirements for origin labelling and welfare claims to reduce risk and ensure preparedness.
The strategy's ambitions around welfare, protein sourcing and disease prevention look set to wield considerable influence on supplier selection and menu development in foodservice.
Reframe supplier review criteria to reflect the joint strategy’s new priorities, taking into account disease prevention, welfare and protein diversification.
At each juncture, the EU’s Livestock Strategy and Protein Action Plan emphasises data and verification, be it livestock origin, welfare status, biosecurity history or emissions.
Those manufacturers, processors, retailers and QSR operators that can track and collate this evidence early – before any formal transition deadline lands – will therefore have a clear advantage, with less disruption and less risk of non-compliance throughout the process.
At Foods Connected, our platform connects supplier, quality, production and compliance data in one centralised view, making it far simpler for businesses to spot risk early, identify compliance gaps and make informed decisions. Request a demo to find out more.