FEFAC is welcoming the European Commission's package of measures to drive Europe's transition to a low-carbon economy but also calling for caution.

July 26, 2016

2 Min Read
FEFAC welcomes action on low-carbon economy but calls for caution

The European Compound Feed Manufacturer’s Federation (FEFAC) is welcoming the European Commission’s package of measures to drive Europe’s transition to a low-carbon economy. The package was published July 20.

According to FEFAC, the European feed sector is involved in key European (DG ENVI Product Environmental Footprint) and global (Global Feed LCA Institute) initiatives that seek to actively contribute to emission mitigation strategies at farm level that help with tackling climate change. These new approaches in methodology and database development should be used as the key reference for setting realistic reduction targets for livestock-related emissions at the national level.

At the same time, though, FEFAC said in a statement that it invites the European Commission to carefully study the impact of the proposed phase-out of crop-based biofuels after 2020, which, it said, is bound to have a detrimental impact on the European feed sector’s capacity to utilize EU produced proteins. Vegetable protein meals, resulting from biodiesel production, provide a significant contribution to the protein supply of the European Union livestock sector. FEFAC said it, therefore, calls on the commission to create a robust EU protein balance sheet that would serve as input to a comprehensive impact assessment of a potential gradual phase out of crop-based biofuels after 2020.

FEFAC represents 25 national associations in 24 EU member states as well as associations in Switzerland, Turkey, Serbia, Russia and Norway with observer/associate member status. The European compound feed industry employs over 110,000 persons on appoximately 4,000 production sites often in rural areas, which offer few employment opportunities.

Farm animals in the EU 28 consume an estimated 480 million metric tons of feed a year, of which about 30% are produced by the compound feed manufacturers. Turnover of the European compound feed industry is estimated at € 50 billion.

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