Oilseed Industry Association: Germany's animal feed cannot fully transition away from GMOs

The German Oilseed Industry Association (OVID) has presented an analysis indicating that a complete transition to genetically modified organism (GMO)-free animal feed in Germany's agricultural sector is unrealistic and would incur significant costs.

According to OVID, German farms annually use nearly 10 million tons of protein feed, with approximately 3.7 million tons produced domestically. The remaining 65 percent, known as the "protein gap," is largely imported as GMO soy, primarily from Brazil.

At the EuroTier trade fair in Hanover, OVID Managing Director Petra Sprick stated that increasing the provision of GMO-free feed is possible long-term, but requires adequate incentives such as financial compensation and supply chain recognition. She also emphasized the need to enhance rapeseed and soy cultivation within Europe and increase imports of certified non-GMO soy.

"A complete abandonment of genetic modification in German animal feed would drastically intensify competition for available agricultural raw materials and lead to substantial additional costs," Sprick explained. The analysis suggests that while the European Union could procure 9.3 million tons of non-GMO soybeans on the global market, this would only cover a quarter of Europe's annual soy meal demand of 33 million tons.

Processing of European soy, cultivated in the Danube region, has increased at ADM in Straubing. The company notes a growing demand for non-GMO soy in Germany, particularly in the southern markets. However, Germany's most important domestic protein crop remains rapeseed, contributing 80 percent to reducing the protein gap. OVID concludes that despite progress in domestic rapeseed and European soy cultivation, fully closing the protein gap remains unrealistic.