Warsaw Call for Europe's Implementation of the Denver Call for Action

At the closing session of the 11th International Beef Forum, held in Poland at the beginning of this year, the Warsaw Call for Europe’s Implementation of the Denver Call for Action was presented. This document, endorsed by 84 representatives from the agricultural industry, farmers and researchers, addresses the mounting regulatory and societal pressures on the livestock production sector. “We have jointly created the Warsaw Call for Europe’s Implementation. Our goal is clear – we urge the sector to strengthen collaboration with science. We will intensify our efforts to communicate to consumers what we are doing well”, explained Peer Ederer, a member of the Scientific Council of the World Farmers’ Organisation.

Scientists Advocate for Evidence-Based Agricultural Policy

Professor Peer Ederer recalled that in 2022, scientists around the globe issued the Dublin Declaration, which emphasised the need for livestock-related policies to be grounded in scientific evidence. The declaration now has over 1,200 signatories worldwide. In addition, in October 2024, 45 scientists signed the Denver Call for Action (which can be read here), which was a reaction to the selective appointment of experts by politicians. By signing this appeal, the participants pledge to protect fellow scientists from backlash stemming from the presentation of controversial opinions. Signatories were carefully chosen from among senior researchers to protect younger scientists, who are still building their careers, from facing attacks and undue pressure.  

“The Warsaw Call was created in response to the Denver Call for Action and was developed by European agricultural organisations and processors, supported by participants of the 11th International Beef Forum in Warsaw – explained Jerzy Wierzbicki, President of the Polish Association of Meat Cattle Producers and Chairman of the Polish Sustainable Beef Platform – It draws attention to the unfair criticism of the livestock industry, disinformation efforts and political initiatives aimed at limiting animal production despite the lack of clear scientific evidence to support such measures. It also calls for joint action by European stakeholders in the animal product supply chain”.

The Warsaw Call, A Response to the Challenges of the Livestock Sector

The common objective of the signatories of the Warsaw Call is to enhance public trust in the livestock sector. It highlights that contemporary European animal farming faces criticism from NGOs and politicians, who make decisions based on incomplete or selectively gathered information.

The authors of the Call emphasise that animal production plays a crucial role in sustainable agriculture, food security and environmental protection. The document urges increased action in Europe in the following key areas:

• Strengthen cooperation between farmers, processors, and the trade sector to improve efforts towards sustainable development.
• Intensifying consistent and active communication based on reliable scientific evidence to prevent misinformation about the livestock sector.
• Highlighting the positive role of animal farming on the environment, including aspects such as soil health, nutrient recycling and biodiversity protection. 
• Ensuring unrestricted access to diets containing animal-derived products, which are vital for public health. 
• Fostering a sense of pride among farmers and enhancing social respect for their work.

How can we support the livestock sector in the EU? 

“Collaboration is key, as we can only achieve our goals if we unite our efforts. This will take us much further and can even allow us to reach global goals”, said Ewa Reńska, Business and Development Manager at Alltech. 

Clitravi Deputy Secretary General Paolo Patruno noted that the Dublin Declaration had led to increased involvement of scientists in public debates. He pointed out that selecting experts and scientific data is often politically and ideologically motivated. He gave the example of the “Farm to Fork” strategy, where many crucial pieces of scientific evidence were omitted, and the 2024 WHO Europe report, which referenced publications of questionable quality while disregarding key studies. 

During the Beef Forum debates, the importance of strategic dialogue in agricultural policy was highlighted, along with the risk of taking an ideological approach to science that could lead to erroneous decisions. “Everyone involved in policymaking should pay attention to the sources they rely on. Every scientist views the world through their own lens, but collective reports from many specialists are more objective. Scientific evidence is more than just an individual perspective”, explained Jean Francois Hocquette – INRAE, AFZ, AAF, IMR3G. 

Scientific Debate and Its Impact on Society

According to Professor Marcin Gołębiewski, Vice-Rector for Development at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, we are currently facing a significant problem because, as Orwell said, “ignorance is strength“. We live in times when few people are willing to make an effort to verify the information presented to them. As a result, the ‘Chinese whispers’ effect occurs – scientists release research, but their findings are altered by the media and public perception until they finally reach the public in a completely distorted form. “We are capable of engaging in a dialogue where we separate subjective ideas from objective truth. It is vital to establish communication networks so that people can verify the messages they receive, which are often economical with the truth, to say the least”, added Gołębiewski.

A perfect example of this is the IPCC climate change report. In his book “The Climate Crisis”, Steven Koonin shows how scientific interpretations are often twisted by headlines and simplified, or even manipulated, in the media. But how can we change this? We need to find a way to communicate that does not build walls or lead to finger-pointing but focuses on education and open dialogue. That is why it’s essential that the scientific community not only presents research findings but also guides people on how to interpret them. 

Warsaw Call for Europe’s Implementation of the Denver Call for Action

The initiative calls on agricultural organisations, farmers, processors, traders, craftsmen and all stakeholders in the agri-food sector to:

• Strengthen cooperation in implementing sustainable production practices
  and create consistent, evidence-based narratives for the entire livestock sector.
• Intensify efforts to communicate the sector’s real contribution to environmental protection, animal welfare, food security and availability.

By acting together, we can bolster the sector’s resilience, improve its reputation and restore public trust in livestock farming.

Let’s unite – the future of European agriculture is in our hands!Excerpts from an article written by ELV Poland