FAO published the LEAP guidelines for assessment of the environmental performance of feed additives in livestock supply chains.

The document, largely grounded on the work of the IFIF-FEFANA Specialty Feed Ingredients Sustainability (SFIS) project, provides a harmonized approach to the assessment of the environmental performance of feed additives, taking into consideration the impact of their production and use all along the supply chain for large ruminants, pigs and poultry. While capturing the environmental impact of the production of feed additives, the guidance compares it to the potential benefits from their use: reduction of GHGs, ammonia efficiency and improved feed efficiency.

The FAO LEAP Guidelines come at the time of the starting implementation of the European Green Deal/Farm-to-Fork Strategy with some very ambitious sustainability goals. Such targets would be unattainable without innovative feed additives, as has been explained by FEFANA in a dedicated brochure and an extensive position paper.

A number of supporting fact sheets summarizing the contribution of specialty feed ingredients to sustainability, animal welfare and the fight against anti-microbial resistance are also available on FEFANA’s website.