How do we help ensure sustainable soy at Arvesta?
A project in which the entire sector is involved through the BFA, in which we are happy to play a pioneering role.
Soy is the most balanced protein source. This makes soybean meal the best vegetable raw material, accounting for about 50% of protein needs. But soy cultivation has been the subject of public debate for 15 years. Brazil increased its production from about 20 million tons to 130 million tons per year in two decades. This phenomenal growth was partly achieved at the expense of the Amazon rainforest. This prompted the European animal feed industry to work with other stakeholders to develop a system of certificates that supports and stimulates sustainable soy farming. In Belgium, the Belgian Feed Association was behind this, and Arvesta acted as the pioneer.
How do we help ensure sustainable soy at Arvesta?
When the Belgian Feed Association (BFA), the professional federation that represents more than 95% of feed manufacturers, endorsed the Amazon Memoratorium in 2006, Arvesta played a pioneering role. Arvesta, as the largest compound feed manufacturer with almost 20% market share, aims to be certified as using 100% soy in all its feeds by 2026. This is four years faster than the sector, which set itself the goal of 2030.
By 2020, 50% of the soy used in Arvesta feeds in Belgium and the Netherlands was already certified soy. The ambition of Arvesta is to reach 100% by 2026.
“Ook pure sojabonen maken deel uit van de grondstoffen van onze veevoeders, voor zo’n 5% aandeel. Dat aandeel koopt Arvesta uitsluitend uit Europese teelt. We investeerden daarvoor in de eigen verwerking van pure sojabonen en zijn daarmee uniek in de sector.”Filip VanmeirhaegheRaw Materials Buyer, Animal Nutrition – Arvesta
Arvesta next intends to stop using soybean meal in balanced dairy feed by 2023; this will result in fewer soy imports, reducing the pressure of deforestation on the Amazon rainforest. Consideration is also being given to certificates based on “mass area balance” and possibly how to manage the physical flows of sustainable soy as an alternative or supplement to certified soy.
Together we ensure we can continue to enjoy delicious soy products.
A project in which the entire sector is involved through the BFA, in which we are happy to play a pioneering role.
Soy is the most balanced protein source. This makes soybean meal the best vegetable raw material, accounting for about 50% of protein needs. But soy cultivation has been the subject of public debate for 15 years. Brazil increased its production from about 20 million tons to 130 million tons per year in two decades. This phenomenal growth was partly achieved at the expense of the Amazon rainforest. This prompted the European animal feed industry to work with other stakeholders to develop a system of certificates that supports and stimulates sustainable soy farming. In Belgium, the Belgian Feed Association was behind this, and Arvesta acted as the pioneer.
