Responsible soy sourcing (deforestation)

Last update: 2 June 2023

• Action: Sourcing soybean products from non-deforested areas.
• Animal categories: All farmed species, in specific poultry.
• Technique: Sourcing responsibly produced soybean products (meal, oil, SPC, etc.) from certification schemes/programmes that meet the criteria in the FEFAC Soy Sourcing Guidelines.
• Mode of implementation: The soybean products produced through these certification schemes/programmes provide sustainability guarantees for the soy cultivation, also in terms of not being cultivated in recently deforested areas.
• Mode of action: The certification schemes/programmes are benchmarked for compliance against the FEFAC Soy Sourcing Guidelines by the International Trade Center (operating under WTO and UN mandate to facilitate sustainable trade).
• Requirements/limitations: Certified soy is available under different chain of custody models, with a variety in the level of physical connection to the soy delivered at feed mill level; the use of certification is not expected to deliver ‘de facto’ compliance with the incoming European Union Deforestation Regulation.
• Economic consequences: A premium is required for certified soy, ranging between 4 and 30 dollars per ton depending on choice of chain of custody model.
• Other considerations: The FEFAC Soy Sourcing Guidelines include additional criteria in relation to environment stewardship, agricultural practices and responsible working conditions.
• References:
  • FEFAC soy sourcing guidelines 2021. https://fefac.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/FEFAC-Soy-Sourcing-Guidelines-2021-1.pdf
  • European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC) Responsible Soy Benchmarking Tool – ITC Sustainability Gateway. https://sustainabilitygateway.org/european-feed-manufacturers-federation-fefac-soy-benchmarking-tool/