Case studies – Standards
Global
Multi-ingredient and holistic aquaculture feed standards
- Record and report their energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and set targets to improve energy efficiency, and use of renewables and water;
- Increasingly source marine ingredients from responsibly managed (MarinTrust and ultimately MSC) fisheries;
- Transition towards a deforestation and land conversion-free (DCF) supply chain;
- Source soy, palm oil, and plant ingredients from low-risk supply chains; or,
- Have a public commitment to achieve low risk via an action plan, with milestones and target dates (per The Accountability Framework Initiative).
Multiple organizations have made commitments to source ASC-certified products. ASC-certified farms or those seeking certification now have until October 2025 to transition to the use of ASC-compliant feed produced under the Feed Standard.
Companies and improvement initiatives that are committed to sourcing or achieving ASC certification for farmed products will therefore have a vested interest in ensuring that feed manufacturers in their supply chains adhere to this standard.
Published in June 2021, the ASC Feed Standard for feed mills covers both environmental and social responsibility for the feed mill and its supply chain and covers all feed ingredients.
Concerning climate change and environmental impacts, under the standard ASC-certified feed mills should:
ASC-certified feed producers and those pursuing certification can be found here.
Footnote
All ingredients that represent >1% of the total annual ingredient weight (volume) received by the UoC for use in aquafeeds.
Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) Vanguard is an initiative to develop standards to recognize and incentivize promising advances and leading-edge innovations.
The BAP Sustainable Feed Ingredients Vanguard Standard For Feed Mills, Farms, and Processing Plants, which is currently in development, will be available to BAP-certified facilities.
It aims to support the use of high-quality ingredients exhibiting declining environmental impacts, including marine ingredients from fish processing by-products and certified sources, and vegetable-based ingredients that are DCF (deforestation and conversion free) and have not been associated with the destruction of sensitive habitats.
In addition, feed producers, farmers, and processors should make efforts to source energy from renewable sources and/or be connected to the national electricity grid. Processors should endeavor to maximize the edible yield from production, maintain by-products within the food/feed chain, and minimize waste.
As such, Vanguard can be considered a premium standard that extends the existing BAP requirements for ingredient sourcing. The Vanguard standard for feed ingredients is relevant for the feed ingredients used in the manufacture of compound aquafeed greater than 1% by volume in the end product.