FEFAC releases 2014 compound feed production estimates

FEFAC, the European Compound Feed Manufacturers’ Federation, has analyzed data from its members to create its compound feed production estimates for 2014, and found that production reached 153.6 million tons, or .6 percent less than in 2013.
Pig and cattle feed production dropped by 1 percent and 1.5 percent respectively, but poultry feed’s production volume grew by .6 percent. As a result, poultry feed solidified its position of leading segment of EU compound feed production, ahead of pig feed.
The most important factor that affected feed production in 2014 was the Russian ban on pig meat that started in February 2014, putting additional pressure on farmers, especially pig and dairy farmers. The good availability of forages due to favorable weather conditions and the sharp drop in dairy prices significantly affected the demand for compound feed for dairy cows, which did not benefit at all from the 5 percent increase in milk deliveries in 2014.
Poland has been among the largest producing countries, with annual growth of almost 7 percent, while Germany remained stable and France, Spain, Italy, U.K. and The Netherlands saw their production fall by 0.7 to 1.9 percent.
Germany strengthened its position as leading EU country in terms of total compound feed production, ahead of France and Spain.
The final estimate and detailed breakdown of the 2014 results will be presented on the occasion of the 58th FEFAC General Assembly on June 10, 2015 in Cologne.

FEFAC releases Feed & Food Statistical Yearbook

FEFAC has released its Feed & Food Statistical Yearbook for 2013.
The 66-page document contains information on the animal feed and animal nutrition industry, industrial compound feed production, and macroeconomic data on the agricultural production in the European Union (EU) and its disposal.
FEFAC, the European Compound Feed Manufacturers Federation, represents 24 national associations in 23 EU member states as well as associations from Norway, Turkey, Serbia, Russia and Switzerland with observer/associate member status. The European compound feed industry employs more than 110,000 persons on approximately 4,000 production sites often in rural areas, which offer few employment opportunities.


Key findings


• The value of livestock production in the EU amounts to EUR169.5 billion (US$192.2 billion) and accounts for 41 percent of the overall agricultural output by the EU-28, amounting to EUR415.5 billion in 2013.
• The compound feed industry has become capital intensive and uses a very high level of technology.
• The feedstuffs market depends on the market for livestock products.
• Compound feed production in the EU has remained stable since 1996.

FEFAC guide gains positive assessment from EU authorities

The European Commission’s Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food & Feed (SCoPAFF) positively assessed the upgraded version of the European Compound Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC) Guide to Good Hygiene Practice for the manufacturing of compound feed and premixture for food producing animals.
The “EFMC Guide” was initially established in 2007 by feed industry experts and through consultation with EU feed chain partners. Its main goal is to facilitate implementation of the hygiene and HACCP requirements of Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 on Feed Hygiene for compound feed and premix manufacturers. With its third upgrade, the practical tool for feed hygiene compliance now includes among others more detailed guidelines on the management of microbial feed safety risks (Salmonella) as well as aflatoxins in maize.
FEFAC President Ruud Tijssens said: “The endorsement by EU authorities illustrates the feed industry’s commitment to maintaining and improving the high feed safety standards. It acknowledges the fact FEFAC takes up its share of the responsibility for feed safety management along the feed chain for the benefit of minimizing safety risks in the food chain on the base of the ‘top of the pyramid’ approach.” 

FEFAC to focus on ‘greening’ livestock farming at meeting

As the EU moves from the Common Agriculture Policy into the implementation period of the reform package, close scrutiny is required as the agreements are put into practice. At the 57^th FEFAC Annual General Meeting, there will be focus on the contribution animal nutrition can make to the "greening" of livestock farming in order to meet the policy goals for sustainable development while improving competitiveness.
The key driver for future growth in the compound feed industry will be the anticipated increase in global demand for European dairy products. FEFAC, the European Feed Manufacturers' Federation, has invited European Dairy Association (EDA) President Michel Nalet to share the EDA's perspective on EU dairy market outlooks in the background of the CAP reform dynamics, with particular attention for the lifting of milk quotas in 2015.
Martin Scholten, chairman of the Animal Task Force, a science-based organization that brings together industry and academic experts as regards innovations in the livestock industry, has been invited to highlight the key research and development challenges in EU livestock farming and animal nutrition. Submitting common precompetitive research projects in support of initiatives for sustainable agriculture will help to demonstrate the new opportunities for the value chain part of the livestock sector.
FEFAC also invited European Commission Food and Veterinary Office Director Michael Scannell as a keynote speaker to discuss the main implications of the future interaction between the official controls of competent authorities and the private sector's own check systems. A key focus area will be the role animal nutrition can play to reduce the need for antibiotics, as has been outlined in the EU action plan on antimicrobial resistance.

European Feed Manufacturers' Federation releases environmental report

The European Feed Manufacturers' Federation has released the second edition of its environmental report, expanding upon the initial overview of the environmental benefits and burdens that result from activities under the direct control of the EU compound feed industry, outlined in its 2009 report.
“The European compound feed industry has to focus on the further increase of resource efficiency and its contribution to safe and healthy feed and food," said Ruud Tijssens, chairman of the federation's task force. "This is the added value that the feed compounder can bring to its customers. The EU feed industry is taking its responsibility towards society: given the global growing demand for animal products and the shrinking availability of natural resources, it is absolutely vital for the feed industry to take care of its social and environmental impact. These are the guiding principles of FEFAC actions in the area of sustainability."
The first chapter of the report describes the overall feed industry's vision of sustainability and focuses on responsible supply. The second chapter presents the federation's activities in the area of harmonization of methodology, and the final chapter is dedicated to the major political challenges identified by the federation at the EU level. The report also provides examples of national initiatives aiming at improving environmental performances. 

FEFAC: EU pig market 'facing a near market collapse'

European Feed Manufacturers' Federation, FEFAC, President Patrick Vanden Avenne has called on the European Union Farm Council presidency to take urgent measures to prevent the collapse of the EU pig market.
“The current market situation of the EU livestock sector is extremely worrying," said Avenne. "In particular the EU pig sector is facing a near market collapse. A key reason for this situation lays in particular in the rising cost for feed grains, which have recently reached the levels of 2007/2008, resulting from global demand outpacing supplies of feed grains. The current market crisis has been further exacerbated by the knock-on effects of the dioxin incident in Germany leading to a drastic fall in domestic consumption and temporary closure of some important export markets for German pigmeat. In the meantime, however, market experts anticipate that the present tension on the EU and global cereals markets may grow further before the end of the marketing year due to rising global competition for scarce feed grain supplies.”
FEFAC has urged the EU Farm Council to ease the market access to the supply of competitive feed grains on the EU market by suspending the import duties for all cereals, as was done in 2007, in the light of the current market situation.

FEFAC dioxin testing protocol addresses contamination risks linked to feed fat supply chain

The European Compound Feed Manufacturers' Federation, FEFAC, revealed a two-pillar action plan to address dioxin contamination risks linked to the feed fat supply chain.
Such a step comes on the heels of the recent dioxin-contaminated animal feed issue in Germany, which temporarily closed down 4,700 farms and disrupted trade in the region. The two pillars of the plan, submitted at the 2nd European Commission briefing for the European Union feed fat chain partners, are:
Pillar 1: Development of a testing protocol for a structured dioxin monitoring plan of the feed fat supply chain at EU level before the end of the month.
Pillar 2: Review of the registration, i.e., approval requirements for fat blending businesses under the EU Feed Hygiene Regulation (EC) No 183/2005.
“Although the German authorities consider fraud at the fat blending plant which mixed technical fats in feed fats as the most plausible road of the contamination, we, as customers, must take all necessary and effective action which can help preventing such incidents in the future,” said FEFAC President Patrick Vanden Avenne. “In our view, this would require a combination of an industry-own structured monitoring plan and specific legal requirements for the approval of fat blending plants, which currently only have to be registered under the EU Feed Hygiene Regulation.”

New FEFAC president stresses competition

Patrick Vanden Avenne, new president of the European Compound Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC), said European livestock and feed sector needs to produce more and better with less to compete. He presented a plan to strengthen the industry through 2013 to group’s delegates in Hamburg, Germany recently.
Vanden Avenne stated, “We will pursue the development of pre competitive R&D projects leading to the adoption of new feed technology and feed formulation strategies seeking to further improve feed efficiency.” He stressed the need to strengthen the competitiveness of EU livestock production.

European feed production drops

European Union feed makers in 2009 produced 3.8% less feed than in 2008, according to a report from FEFAC, the European Compound Feed Manufacturers’ Federation. Following its recent meeting, the group said cattle feed was down by 6%, pig feed by 5% and poultry feed by 1%.
Current forecasts for the 2010 harvest indicate that production will decrease by 1% compared to 2009. FEFAC members expect to see relatively low quotations for crops this year due to record harvests in South America and a less favorable dollar-euro exchange rate.