Due to soy's wide range of uses, it has different meanings for different people.
Soy, primarily because it is used for animal feed, has been linked to deforestation. The World Resources InstituteBetween 2001 and 2015, soy was responsible for the deforestation of 8.2 million acres. Soy is one of the products covered by the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)The new law, which comes into force on December 30 of this year. Production continues to grow. Lowering the price of raw materialsIn a period where Many other products are availableThe cost of living is increasing.
Soybeans are an important source of protein for human consumption. Only 6 % of all soybeans are consumed by humans. Our world in dataThis soybean is high in protein and has been used to make a wide range of vegan and vegetarian products, from tofu and tempeh to plant-based meat products.
Soy is both a solution and a cause of deforestation, driven by the meat industry.
How can they ensure that soy is not the cause of the problems, but part of the solution? How can manufacturers ensure that they are helping to promote sustainable eating habits, and not just contributing to unsustainable practices?
What can manufacturers do to avoid sourcing unsustainable soy?
Knowing the supply chain is essential for soy manufacturers. Susanne Fromwald, secretary general of Donau Soja in Europe, which promotes alternative protein sources, says country-specific labeling is not enough. Origin alone does not provide enough information about quality or sustainable production. She told FoodNavigator that manufacturers should ask suppliers for information.
Certification programs are a better way to ensure a sustainable future for soy products. Fromwald cautioned that different certification systems can define sustainability. Manufacturers should be careful who they choose and use only those that are widely and independently recognized.
Luiza Bruscato (Global Executive Director of the Roundtable on Responsible Soy, RTRS) said traceability is important.
She told FoodNavigator that the soy industry and supply chain have “slowly implemented and developed many technologies, monitoring and traceability platforms, and procedures to provide and increase supply chain visibility.”
To be fully traceable, soybeans must be stored as an individual (IP), meaning they will be traceable throughout their supply chain, from harvest to end use.
Fromwald of Donau Soja suggested that life cycle assessment (LCA) is also a crucial element of soy sustainability. Agribusinesses use databases like Agrifootprint or GFLI to better understand the origins and characteristics of soy.
RTRS has also developed its own certification system, conducted by nine independent organizations. This program guarantees that the soy produced is free from deforestation and land conversion for agricultural purposes, that it is grown according to good agricultural practices, that it is manufactured with responsible labor and that it is environmentally friendly.
Donau Soja'sIt’s the same. Fromwald said: “At Donau Soja, we use an all-encompassing term that encompasses deforestation and zero-conversion, GMO-free and low-emission greenhouse gas agriculture. We also include traceability, biodiversity protection and the protection of human and labor rights.”
Better Nature Tempeh Case Study
Better Nature is a company that produces tempeh. This traditional Indonesian dish is made from fermented soybeans.
Canada is the company’s source of soybeans. Christopher Kong, Better Nature Tempeh’s co-founder and CEO, said Canada is known for ensuring high-quality standards when it comes to combating deforestation. Farmers are also audited for sustainability and labor.
We only buy soybeans from areas that are not threatened by deforestation. For example, Canada. The farmers who grow them there are inspected every year.
Kong claims to ensure the traceability of its soybeans. Each bag of soybeans is marked with a unique lot code that corresponds to a specific production batch. This allows the traceability of the beans used in the manufacture of tempeh.
Kong believes that Better Nature soy from Canada will be EUDR compliant. Campden BRI is a food consultant the company is using to assess this issue before EUDR comes into force.
What can companies do to comply with the EUDR?
The EUDR requires traceability of products covered by it. Therefore, in order to comply, companies sourcing soy will need to be able to trace it back to its original location. Companies will need to know the exact geolocation of their source soy. Fromwald of Donau Soja says that implementing certification systems aligned with the EUDR will be an important element.
Bruscato of RTRS agrees. She told us that supply chain actors could use certification systems to assess risk, as long as the information included in the system is sufficient to ensure regulatory compliance.
Both organizations emphasize, however, that certifications alone are not enough. Bruscato suggests that operators and merchants do their due diligence. Fromwald said it is important for companies to maintain regular contact with their suppliers. This will ensure they get the data they need when it is available.
We recommend that manufacturers engage their suppliers and assess the soy raw material in their supply chain. Key questions are: what risk mitigation strategies have they adopted? What are the IT systems and traceability? “By doing this, manufacturers will be able to ensure not only that they are complying with regulations, but that they are also meeting higher sustainability standards,” she added.
Bruscato of RTRS said different manufacturers should undertake different levels of due diligence. The manufacturer will have to provide a due diligence declaration to national authorities if they are the first economic operator in a particular field. They can refer to previous due diligences if they are further down the value chain. They are still legally liable for regulatory violations.
How prevalent is sustainable soy?
According to RTRS' Bruscato, sustainable soy is increasing as a percentage of the market but is still significantly less used than unsustainable soy.
The European Soy MonitorIn 2021, soy consumption in Europe that adheres to the FEFAC soy sourcing guidelines was 40 %, which is a slight decrease from its previous level in 2020 (44 %), but an increase from 2019. The FEFAC guidelines allow for comparison of existing certifications. Certifications must meet FEFAC requirements to be considered valid.
How sustainable is EUDR?
Fromwald of Donau Soja suggested that the EUDR has limited objectives. She suggested that regulators ignore other methods of creating agricultural land that can have a negative impact on the environment by focusing only on deforestation. The regulation does not address important shrub or grassland areas.
As an example of biodiverse vegetation, consider the Cerrado, a savannah in Brazil. According to the World Wildlife FundThe EUDR does not protect 5% of all the world's animals and plants. These lands can still be cleared for agriculture.
Since the Amazon soy moratorium, introduced to prevent deforestation for soy cultivation in the Amazon rainforest, the conversion of Cerrado lands to agriculture has increased dramatically. This shift in focus shows that deforestation alone is not enough. Land conversion leads to the destruction of biodiversity, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and the displacement of indigenous peoples.
Donau Soja is therefore stricter in its certification than EUDR. The deadline for EUDR was 2020, but Donau Soja has a 2008 date. In addition, the certification covers both land conversion and deforestation, just like that of RTRS.
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