XXVII FEFAC Congress 2016 in Antalya - "Social acceptance of livestock & feed production in the EU”

On 21-22 April 2016, the FEFAC XXVII Congress took place in Antalya, with the conference title “Social acceptance of livestock & feed production in the EU”. At the Congress, the participants discussed the compound feed industry’s contribution to the circular economy, the measuring of the environmental footprint of feed production and the responsible sourcing of raw materials. The discussions on all themes supported the view that the feed industry can provide solutions to livestock production with direct benefit for consumers and citizens, thereby stimulating increased societal acceptance of EU’s livestock and feed sector.

In a video statement, European Commissioner for Health & Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis, highlighted the contribution of animal feed manufacturers to the circular economy and food waste reduction by using resources no longer suitable for human consumption in animal feed. The participants agreed with Commissioner Andriukaitis that it is of vital importance to assure feed safety and animal health when using unconventional feed ingredients in order to maintain consumer confidence.

At the Congress it was highlighted that the current political attention for circular economy and resource-efficiency provides an excellent opportunity for the feed industry to showcase its contributions to reducing environmental impacts. A key achievement in demonstrating the results of this approach is the development of pre-competitive measurement tools for environmental performance, such as the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF). In the Feed PEF Pilot the category rules for feed production are currently being drafted and expected to be assessed and approved by DG ENVI in 2016.

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