SPECIAL STORY 50 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE June 2023 The drive toward more sustainable animal protein production will require systemic change to our food systems and farming practices. Making this change responsibly and with transparency requires accurate, credible environmental footprint measurement. YOU CAN’T IMPROVE WHAT YOU CAN’T MEASURE The animal protein industry is under increasing pressure to become more sustainable. Whether we like it or not, parts of the industry are currently viewed by many as significant contributors to climate change and habitat loss – to name but two of the major environmental impact categories. The publication of high-level, average figures for the industry’s contribution to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has tarred all players with the same brush. To the average consumer, animal production is responsible for 14.5% of GHG emissions. For many, that is sufficient reason to make a fundamental shift away from meat, milk, fish and egg intake – or at least, to limit consumption of these foods. The reality of the situation is somewhat different, however. The production of animal protein is highly nuanced in terms of species, feed, production system and the environment, while the ability to improve the environmental footprint varies considerably from farm to farm. Within the EU, animal production is reported as being responsible for about 10% of the EU’s GHG emissions, and within this figure there are variances as to the contribution to national emissions and the ability of each country to make reductions over time. Furthermore, in many cases the GHG footprint comparisons made between animal proteins and other foods are based on a functional unit of 1 kg of produce, irrespective of the composition of the food, its digestibility, and its nutritional value. While monitoring and reducing GHG emissions in animal production is important if we are to meet our collective commitments to the Paris Agreement, there are many other environmental variables that are of considerable significance. These include nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, soil quality, the use of water resources, land use, and impacts on biodiversity. Understanding the full ecosystem impact of animal production down to the level of the local farm is vitally important if we are to make tangible improvements. Relying on the simplicity of global average industry data sets and a limited number of environmental variables while underplaying the nuances in animal production and the nutritional MAKING ANIMAL PROTEIN MORE SUSTAINABLE REQUIRES ACCURATE FOOTPRINT MEASUREMENT David Nickell VP Sustainability and Business Solutions DSM Nutritional Products, Animal Nutrition & Health
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