The European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC) is calling for an urgent European Union contingency plan to safeguard essential livestock feed supplies amid concerns over drought, disruptions to Ukrainian grain exports and the approaching implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Ahead of the Sept. 28-29 Agriculture and Fisheries (AGRIFISH) Council meeting, FEFAC sent a letter to Irish Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon, chair of the EU Council presidency for agriculture, urging action to protect feed supply chains.
FEFAC members, representing EU compound feed and premix manufacturers, warned that the combined effects of severe summer drought, disruptions to Ukrainian feed grain supplies through the Black Sea corridor and the approaching implementation of EUDR threaten essential sources of fiber, energy and protein for the 2026-27 marketing year.
“The cumulative impact of these pressures significantly increases the risk of disruption of essential feed material supplies”, the letter states. FEFAC President Nicolas Coudry-Mesny warns that “shortages and higher costs could undermine the viability of EU dairy, pork and poultry production, add to food price inflation and increase reliance on imports of products of animal origin”.
FEFAC is urging the European Commission and EU member states to establish a contingency plan before the end of 2026 to identify measures to mitigate reduced domestic feed grain availability and address constraints on Black Sea supplies of corn and oilseed meals.
The organization also called for measures to reduce sourcing complexities associated with EUDR implementation, particularly for essential feed ingredients such as soybean meal and palm kernel expeller. FEFAC warned that the regulation could disrupt supply chains and restrict access to vital feed imports.
FEFAC's full letter can be read here.
Source: European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation, "FEFAC calls for an EU contingency plan to safeguard essential EU feed supplies"