GMP+ launches MI5.7 Feed LCA standard to harmonise environmental footprint reporting

GLOBAL – GMP+ International, the world’s largest feed safety certification scheme, will launch its new MI5.7 Feed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standard on May 6, 2026, providing feed companies with a harmonised framework to measure and report environmental impact across the full feed lifecycle.

The standard applies to companies involved in compound feed, premixtures, feed materials, feed additives and feed trading, and is designed to address increasing sustainability requirements across global feed supply chains. 

It introduces a consistent methodology for calculating environmental footprint metrics, enabling better comparability and transparency across the industry.

Unlike MI5.5, where two companies could both report a carbon footprint, but calculate it differently, with MI5.7, they’re expected to measure and report using the same rules.

This makes results comparable and more credible for customers, regulators, and partners.

Feed producers have historically used different approaches to assess environmental impact, making benchmarking difficult.

MI5.7 Feed LCA aims to resolve this by aligning calculations with recognised life cycle assessment methodologies, including the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for feed.

The framework also supports the use of verified datasets, such as those from the Global Feed LCA Institute (GFLI), to improve the reliability and consistency of reported results. 

By standardising how environmental impacts, such as land use, are calculated, the system is expected to strengthen the credibility of sustainability reporting.

The new standard has been designed to integrate with existing GMP+ Feed Responsibility Management Systems, allowing certified companies to adopt the methodology without major operational disruption. 

It also includes guidance and training support through the GMP+ Academy to facilitate implementation.

Transition from carbon footprint pilot

The introduction of MI5.7 marks the next phase in GMP+’s sustainability framework, replacing the earlier MI5.5 Carbon Footprint of Feed pilot standard.

While existing MI5.5 certifications will remain valid until their expiry dates, they will not extend beyond December 31, 2026. 

Companies currently using the pilot framework are expected to transition to MI5.7 by updating their methodologies and undergoing certification audits under the new standard.

GMP+ has advised companies to engage early with certification bodies to ensure a smooth transition and avoid disruptions in certification status.

The development of MI5.7 involved extensive collaboration with industry stakeholders, including consultations, technical reviews and input from expert committees. 

This process was aimed at ensuring the standard is both scientifically robust and practical for industry-wide adoption.

As sustainability reporting becomes increasingly central to procurement, regulation and customer expectations, harmonised tools such as MI5.7 are expected to play a key role in enabling feed companies to track performance, identify environmental hotspots and demonstrate progress toward climate and sustainability targets.

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