Arvesta pioneers with fully separated and 100% sustainable soy (meal) for animal feed 

On top of its already ambitious targets around soy (meal) in animal feed, Arvesta is starting a pilot project to go one step further. Arvesta will be the first in our country to import soy (meal) from completely separated and 100% deforestation-free origins. Thanks to the separated deforestation-free streams imported by Arvesta, it can be better guaranteed that no rainforest was cut down for the production of hamburgers, eggs, yoghurt or cheese. It is a pilot project and Arvesta will follow up with retailers, farmers and customers. ​ 

Good, better, best  

Arvesta's approach and objective regarding soy (meal) in animal feed was already ambitious. We have set ourselves the target of working with 100% certified soy (meal) for our animal feed by 2026. This clearly makes us more ambitious than the sector targets. 

"Today we want to see if we can go one step further. We are starting a pilot project with soy (meal) from completely separated and 100% sure deforestation-free origins," says Dirk Van Thielen, Arvesta's Business Unit Director Animal Nutrition. 

100% sure deforestation-free soy (meal)  

All soy (meal) products in Arvesta's concentrate feed are certified through the professional federation BFA's sustainability charter. This meets global standards for the responsible production, processing and trade of soy (meal). On top of the current certification for soy (meal), Arvesta aims for even more guarantees around sustainability. After all, when soy is transported by soy suppliers, several cargoes can come together. This does not guarantee that 100% of the soy (meal) that eventually arrives in Belgium meets the additional requirements and extra guarantees. ​ ​ 

European legislation also requires that from 2025 only soy (meal) can be used from areas that have not been recently deforested.

"This is why Arvesta is already today taking the extra step towards fully separated streams of soy (meal) of 100% deforestation-free origin in an accelerated manner," said Dirk Van Thielen. "Over the next six months, Arvesta will use a total of 12,000 tonnes of soy (meal) from completely deforestation-free areas." 

If we want to achieve a food chain that is ecologically and economically viable for everyone - which is really the only option - then all players must cooperate. In this respect, Arvesta is a crucial link in making the entire food chain sustainable. At Arvesta, we enter into discussions with chain partners such as dairies, slaughterhouses and retailers on how to realise these objectives. This is always done with respect for the earnings model of our farmers, who already produce today with the lowest CO2 footprint in the world. ​ With our pilot on fully segregated, deforestation-free soy (meal) streams, we want to give the entire chain the opportunity to make the transition from 'almost completely secure' to 'completely secure' deforestation-free soy (meal). ​ 

Sustainable soy(meal) and less soy(meal) 

Most of our cows' feed comes from our own land and consists mainly of grass. Supplements from beer trot, maize...and also soy (meal) in concentrate feed ensure a healthy animal and the most efficient production possible. ​ ​ 

Arvesta pursues a twin-track policy on soy. On the one hand, we strive for more sustainable soy (meal) and on the other hand for ways to responsibly reduce the use of soy (meal). When selecting raw materials for animal feed, we systematically include alternative sources of protein such as rapeseed meal, peas, sunflower seed meal, field beans, etc. ..... Finally, we maximally close cycles by using residual flows or by-products from industry (e.g. breweries, biscuit factories,...) in our feeds.