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ASSURANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS: CONSOLIDATING A STRATEGIC DOCUMENT
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ASC FEED MILL CERTIFICATION
May. 2 2024
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council's (ASC) Feed Standard tackles one of the significant environmental and social impacts associated with aquaculture – the production and supply of feed for farmed fish. The ASC Feed Standard is the pioneering initiative that considers the impacts across all key ingredient groups and throughout the entire ingredient supply chain, aligning with upcoming European Union regulations.
The Feed Standard encompasses a wide range of agricultural commodities, including wheat, corn, canola, soy, palm oil, and marine-based ingredients. It requires feed mills to meet stringent environmental and social requirements, source ingredients from socially responsible suppliers, and utilise environmentally responsible raw materials. The Feed Standard was launched on June 15, 2021, and became effective on January 14, 2023.
ASC-certified Farms have until October 2025 to change their feed supply to come from mills certified against the Feed Standard. The change in feed supply is necessary for producers to continue meeting the ASC Farm Standards and to retain their certification.
WHY IS RESPONSIBLE FEED ESSENTIAL?
- More than 70% of farmed seafood (excluding algae) is fed
- Life cycle assessments indicate that feed can account for up to 90% of the environmental impacts of fed aquaculture production (Little et al 2018)
- More than 90% of those impacts typically occur during the production and harvesting of raw materials for feed—through deforestation, land conversion, fisheries management, agricultural practices and more
- In 2020, over 58 million people were employed in fisheries and aquaculture globally (FAO SOFIA report 2022)
ASC-CERTIFIED FEED MILLS: DRIVING POSITIVE IMPACTS
ASC-certified feed mills demonstrate positive impacts across five key areas:
FEED FOR THE FUTURE: ASC'S VISION
Aquaculture is the fastest-growing source of protein globally, and ASC's mission is to transform the sector towards more environmentally and socially responsible practices, using efficient market mechanisms that create value across the supply chain.
Ensuring the availability of responsibly sourced feed is a crucial part of this vision. The Feed Standard contributes to more responsible seafood farming practices globally by ensuring that every feed ingredient is risk-assessed for its impacts on people and the planet, and that best practices in feed supply chains are recognised and rewarded.
Feed ingredients may have different environmental and social impacts depending on the type of ingredient, location and production method. For example:
- Soy may have deforestation and land conversion risk
- Other plant ingredients may risk ecosystem conversion
- Fishmeal and fish oil risk depleting a finite resource
Risk assessments will be conducted on the majority of ingredients (greater than 1% inclusion) used in feed.
GETTING CERTIFIED: FEED MILLS
Demonstrate that you produce your feed with care. Find out how to start your journey to ASC Feed Standard certification below.
- The ASC Feed Standard became effective in January 2023. ASC-certified farms have until October 2025 to transition to ASC-compliant feed produced under the ASC Feed Standard to continue meeting the ASC Farm Standards.
WHY CHOOSE BUREAU VERITAS?
Bureau Veritas is well-positioned to support feed mills in their journey towards ASC Feed Certification. Our robust audit process, extensive expertise in the responsible seafood industry, and multidisciplinary team of experts in areas such as social, food safety, and quality compliance enable us to provide comprehensive support to stakeholders seeking to enhance their sustainability commitments.
As a leader in food sustainability, Bureau Veritas is contributing to shaping a future where the food industry not only meets current needs but also helps create a healthier planet, turning sustainability challenges into opportunities for innovation and leadership.