Soya’s future in UK livestock feed

David McClelland of Norvite told the audience that when the seminar was planned, organisers had expected more clarity from the EU on its deforestation regulation. “At the time of planning this, we thought there would be a decision by now,” he said. “However, negotiations are still ongoing. We are a long way down the line from the original proposal to enforce deforestation regulations designed to protect vulnerable ecosystems from being turned into soya, coffee, beef production, and timber.”

He explained that the panel’s conclusion was that regulation could provide a level playing field, but with so little clarity, expectations have been raised without firm direction. In the meantime, market forces are stepping in to meet the demands of retailers and consumers.

“Soya is still here for now,” Mr McClelland said. “Many retailer and processor schemes don’t ban soya outright, but they are looking at sustainable alternatives such as locally grown protein sources, including expeller rapeseed meal and field beans.”

There was also discussion about the possibility of providing consumers with clearer life cycle analyses for the food they buy — perhaps through labelling that reflects the carbon impact of ingredients.

While deforestation regulations were expected to push soya prices up, the market has not reacted in that way. “When these rules were first proposed, soya was around £500 per tonne,” Mr McClelland said. “Now it’s closer to £350 per tonne, so the economics have changed. The regulatory, economic, and consumer factors are all interacting, and while some form of regulation will come, it will likely be a compromise. Any restriction on the availability of soya will affect the market — but the level of impact remains unclear while the details are still being negotiated.”

Contributing to the discussion, dairy farmer Tom Neil said he had implimented a soya free diet for his 350-cow dairy herd. This was beneficial for his Arla supply contract, but he noted that he did not view Arla as his customer but rather, the end retailer. This reflects the relationships between primary producers and the ultimate market drivers of sustainability and sourcing decisions.

The session closed with a shared view that soya’s role in UK livestock production is not ending, but evolving — as farmers, feed companies, and policymakers continue to balance global supply chains, carbon impact, and consumer expectations.