DRIVE is the Dutch acronym for Sustainable Reassessment and Innovation in the Meat Chain Economy. The aim of the project is the structural management of food safety and animal health risks along sustainable and profitable lines. The meat chain needs initiatives in order to keep ahead of the growth in competition, e.g. from the abolition of import duties on products from outside the European Union.
[Chain reversal and self-regulation]:
Project partners have set themselves two tasks: chain reversal and self-regulation. Chain reversal is concerned with the sustainable relationship with the consumer and the citizen. Sustainability criteria laid down by market players such as retailers are an important factor in increasing the sales potential. Self-regulation means that food producers accept independent responsibility in the quality field: the system of government control has become dated and is no longer capable of managing ever more complex chains efficiently.
[Protocol]:
The project partners are cooperating on a new structure in the chain, based around sustainability goals. They are working on incentives for individual producers to help ensure chain quality in a cost-effective manner. The kick-off is being provided by a pilot project for the systematic control of the risk of salmonella contamination. The end-product is a protocol with which the meat industry will be able to work upon completion of the pilot project. |
