EU industry groups push to remove legal hurdles to feed circularity

EUROPE – The European Union is being urged to overhaul restrictive legislation that is stalling progress on circularity in animal feed, as a coalition of eight major industry associations submits a comprehensive catalogue of measures to the European Commission.

Frustration is mounting among livestock, pet food, and rendering sectors over outdated rules that they say are blocking the use of valuable secondary nutrient streams. These constraints are hampering efforts to create a more sustainable, resource-efficient food system through circular agriculture.

The joint submission, developed by stakeholders including FEFAC, EFPRA, IPIFF, FEDIAF, and others, outlines 17 specific legal obstacles that currently prevent circular feed practices. 

These include restrictions under animal by-products (ABP) and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) legislation that limit, for instance, the use of catering waste, processed animal proteins (PAP), and microbial biomass from genetically modified organisms.

“The catalogue of measures has the potential to increase the use of different secondary nutrient streams in animal feed,” the groups state. 

“These measures would reduce competition for land use with food production, reduce imports of feed materials and reduce livestock system net greenhouse gas emissions, whilst maintaining safety, traceability and farmer and consumer confidence.”

Towards a circular feed roadmap

In addition to the legal case studies, the document outlines nine core principles for shaping future legislation. 

These include making food and feed safety paramount, aligning legal coherence across sectors, applying science-based prohibitions, simplifying compliance burdens, and adopting a standard method for measuring circularity.

The coalition is calling on the EU to use the catalogue as a foundation for developing a dedicated EU Feed Circularity Roadmap. 

They want the recommendations integrated into the upcoming revisions of the Animal By-Products Regulation, Animal Feed Regulation, and the Critical Raw Materials Act.

“More than ever, circularity has become strategic for animal feed business operators, backed by a high level of safety guaranteed by an effective legal framework, controls, and traceability,” the groups noted in a public statement.

With climate change, resource scarcity, and a growing population exerting pressure on global food systems, the push for circular agriculture is gaining urgency. 

Industry players believe that by valorising materials such as former foodstuffs, animal proteins, and purified nutrients from waste streams, the EU can make significant strides in sustainability.

They argue that the proposed changes would not only enhance food sovereignty and farm resilience but also boost EU competitiveness and reduce the environmental footprint of livestock systems.

As the Commission reviews the proposal, the sector awaits a formal response, hopeful that the next legislative cycle will unlock the full potential of feed circularity in Europe.

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