Together for sustainable soy

23.02.2021 Sustainability & innovation

The Swiss Soy Network has been campaigning for the responsible cultivation of feed soy for ten years. The specification of sustainability standards has initiated a rethink in the soy industry. As one of the 29 current members of the association, Bell Switzerland is also committed to the sustainable procurement of the coveted beans.

Protein is essential for the nutrition of animals - as well as humans. Soy is a high-quality source of protein in animal feed. The plant offers high yields on comparatively small areas and is very well tolerated and utilized by livestock.

Increasing global consumption of meat, eggs and dairy products means that the demand for soy is constantly rising - and with it the negative impact on the environment in the major growing regions, for example in Brazil and Argentina.

The Swiss Soy Network joined forces ten years ago to raise the import of feed soy to a more sustainable level and thus improve cultivation conditions in the countries of origin.

The network's requirements include GMO-free soy, that no primary forest areas and species-rich habitats are cleared for the fields and that the use of potentially harmful pesticides is reduced. The association has already exceeded its target of sourcing at least 90% of all soy imports for Switzerland from responsible cultivation.

For the feed mixtures used in integrated poultry production, Bell in Switzerland also has a direct need for high-quality and sustainably grown soy.

"Through Coop, a founding member of the association and one of the driving forces behind the responsible sourcing of feed soy, we have been involved in the work of the Swiss Soy Network for years," reports Basil Mörikofer, Sustainability Project Manager at Bell Switzerland. "Three years ago, we joined ourselves and have been able to participate even more actively ever since."

A recent study by the School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, which the network presented on the occasion of its anniversary in July, shows what has already been achieved in Brazil over the past decade thanks to the close cooperation of members from the entire value chain

The study confirms that the sustainability standards supported by the Swiss Soy Network are having a positive effect. For example, Swiss soy imports from the Brazilian Cerrado region come from deforestation-free areas, and no problematic working conditions or conflicts with local communities were identified.

Another success of the association: in recent years, soy procurement has been increasingly focused on cultivation areas in Europe. Around half of the quantity required for Switzerland now comes from European production, often from the Danube region.

European soy is an important basis for Bell in the rearing of organic and free-range chickens, whose feed mixtures contain only soy from the home continent.

"Of course, we at Bell Switzerland are only a small player worldwide and can therefore only make a small contribution to protecting the cultivation areas in South America," says Basil Mörikofer. "But with the sustainability standards for Brazilian producers and a growing proportion of responsibly grown European soy, we can at least take a little pressure off the rainforest."

With a share of 0.1 percent, Switzerland as a whole is only a small buyer in the global soy market. Nevertheless, it is setting an example with its commitment. Countries such as the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden have already launched initiatives or targets similar to Switzerland's.