What does «sustainable food» actually mean in the Norwegian context?
The most common vegetables are grown in Norway, and we have enough land to multiply production.
New year – new resolutions? This year, new dietary advice is coming, which must not only take health into account, but also sustainability. But what does «sustainable food» actually mean in the Norwegian context?
Just to say it: When it comes to climate and the environment, meat and other food from animals usually comes far worse than, for example, cereals, pulses and vegetables. Therefore, the transition to a more plant-based diet is considered a very important global environmental initiative.
In addition, there are positive health effects: Red and processed meat increases the risk of cancer. A plant-based diet – such as vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes – is very beneficial for health.
Unfortunately, the trend is going in the opposite direction.
More meat than the global average
Global meat consumption increases every year, as a result of increased purchasing power in countries that previously had low meat consumption.
In Norway, we eat far more meat than the global average. In 2021, our meat consumption increased – at the same time as vegetable consumption decreased.
However, it is difficult to see traces of national measures to make us eat more plants and less meat.
An important exception is the dietary advice, which since 2013 recommended that we eat no more than 500 grams of red and processed meat per week.
When Denmark launched new dietary advice in 2021, this amount was reduced to 350 grams a week.
In the discussion about what should be Norway’s recommendations, it is pointed out that Norway is a country in the far north with areas that are only suitable for growing grass and grazing. But are the topography and the climate really our arguments that our meat consumption can be higher than, for example, the Danes?
The situation would be different if it were very difficult to grow edible plants in Norway, and if all the meat came from animals that only ate Norwegian-produced grass and fodder crops.
But it is not so.
Enough land to multiply production
The most common vegetables are grown in Norway, and we have enough land to multiply production. Carrots, onions, root vegetables, potatoes and cabbage can also be sold all year round.
The climate along the Norwegian coast is well suited for greenhouse cultivation of, for example, cucumber, tomato and paprika, and we have clean energy for year-round operation.
In addition, we can grow wheat, oats, barley, carpets, peas and field beans – which can also be further developed into new, exciting food products.
Livestock production, on the other hand, is completely dependent on an annual import of more than 800,000 tonnes for concentrate – almost four times as much as all the vegetables we import. The concentrate goes primarily to chicken and pigs, but per kilo of meat, it goes about as much for sheep and cattle. Livestock also eat 85–90 percent of all the grain we grow.
In addition, the livestock industry receives approximately 95 percent of agricultural subsidies and is protected by tariff barriers in order to compete against imports.
Our livestock production is therefore somewhat economically sustainable.
It requires a lot of resources and makes us heavily dependent on concentrate imports, which take up large areas of land abroad, some in Brazil.
It is about preserving the cultural landscape and workplaces
When Norway chooses to pursue a policy to support livestock production, it is largely about preserving the cultural landscape and workplaces, especially in the districts.
These are important benefits that are of great importance to many. Men’s cultural landscape and employment can be secured through increased subsidies for, for example, planting and cultural grazing and for small-scale vegetable production.
Just as measures are far targeted in giving us the landscape and the employment we want, and that is to use the dietary advice to promote a high meat consumption.