SFIS Consortium finalizes Product Category Rules for evaluation of environmental footprint of animal production when using Specialty Feed Ingredients in feed

The Specialty Feed Ingredients Sustainability (SFIS) Project Consortium, dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of livestock production through innovative specialty feed ingredients, today announced the finalization of Product Category Rules (PCRs) for the evaluation of the environmental footprint of animal production, when using Specialty Feed Ingredients (SFIs) in feed.

Commissioned by the International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) and the EU Association of Specialty Feed Ingredients and their Mixtures (FEFANA), the overall results of the SFIS study showed that the use of SFIs in animal diets reduces the consumption of basic feed ingredients.

The rigorous SFIS analysis provides solid scientific evidence demonstrating that the use of amino acids and phytase contributes to the mitigation of the environmental impact from poultry and pig production. The addition of these specialty feed ingredients reduces excretion of nitrogen and phosphorus into the environment, while at the same time reducing the recourse to finite resources (e.g. phosphate). The results of the study were validated by an independent Scientific Council made up of global experts in the fields of LCA methodology and animal nutrition.

“The development of product category rules is an important achievement for the specialty feed ingredients industry as it establishes common agreed rules to be used by all” said Dr. Michael Binder, Chair of the SFIS Technical Board. “By setting up a standard approach, the SFIS project will enable specialty feed ingredients to be included in the evaluation of mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impact of animal production on a global basis” added Dr. Binder.

“The SFIS project partners are committed to sharing the positive results of their work with international organizations and other feed chain operators,” highlighted Mr. Philippe Becquet, Chair of the SFIS Management Board. “The project team, supported by its Scientific Council, will publish the results in the forthcoming issue of the peer reviewed Scientific Journal of Animal Science. The SFIS project is a prominent example of how the feed industry is working together to improve the sustainability of the whole feed and food chain,” added Mr. Becquet.