Strategies for coexistence of GM and non-GM soy from import to feed processing

¹ Laboratory AgriFing, Faculty of Biosciences and Landscape Architecture, University College Ghent, Ghent University Association, Voskenslaan 270, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
² Laboratory of Cereal and Feed Technology, Faculty of Biosciences and Landscape Architecture, University College Ghent, Ghent University Association, Voskenslaan 270, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
³ INRA-SAE2, Unité ALISS, 65 Boulevard de Brandebourg, 94205 Ivry-sur-Seine, France
⁴ UMR SADapt, Département Sciences et Ingénierie Agronomiques, Forestières, de l'Eau et de l'Environnement, AgroParisTech, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75631 Paris, France

Corresponding author: Nicolas.Gryson@hogent.be

Abstract

Regulations 1829/2003/CE and 1830/2003/CE have allowed the placing on the European market of GM products in food and feed chains, and have defined their rules of traceability and labeling. For some supply chains, like for soy and its derived products that are used in the production of feed, manufacturers have to face both non-GM and GM production, although there are no labeling requirements for animal products derived from animals fed with GMOs. This study presents the strategies of stakeholders involved in the feed production chain to maintain concurrent production of compound feed with GM and non-GM soy products, by dealing with the coexistence between those two crops. The stakeholders include importers, traders, soy processors, feed processors and retailers. The study shows that many tools are in place to ensure and maintain the current coexistence. However, a profound harmonization of procedures and methods at a European level should be encouraged.