Feeding the future

With minimising environmental impact a major priority for AB Agri businesses and our customers, talented people right across the AB Agri family are working on innovative approaches to enhance sustainability. Here, we highlight ABN’s progress in directing both the business and our customers on a path towards more responsible feed.

The initiative is all about Product Environmental Footprints (PEF) a powerful tool for quantifying and communicating the environmental impacts of products. In this case, pig feed.

Team effort

As pig nutritionists at ABN, Dr. Tegan Whiting and Dr. Steve Jagger are at the forefront of this exciting work, but they’re quick to emphasise that they’re the spokespeople, not the heroes.

"This isn't about individual achievement," Tegan explains. "It's part of a huge team effort across AB Agri and within ABN itself. We're just applying the ABN lens to this larger initiative."

In search of the benchmark

The PEF project is built around an emissions database, which is giving the ABN team the power to benchmark the environmental footprint of different feed products.

Originally Excel-based, the database has recently been upgraded to a more flexible and secure online platform.

"This upgrade is a game-changer," says Tegan. "It gives us more flexibility and security – and we can tailor our models to the specific raw materials used in different regions, reflecting the variations between, say, the UK and China. So we can use one platform right across our operations."

Big data

The journey to PEF hasn't been easy. Mapping the complex supply chain of ABN's many raw materials is a gigantic task.

It starts by using verified databases such as the Global Feed Life Cycle Analysis Institute (GFLI) to assign emissions values to each raw material. Then, the team works closely with procurement colleagues to pinpoint the country of origin for these materials.
 
 "We're meticulous about this," Tegan explains. "For example, if our soy comes from Argentina, Brazil, the USA and Canada, we factor in the specific transport emissions from each location according to our sourcing splits, using a sea distance database (CERDI)."

It’s a complicated process but with annual updates, it means the data is as accurate as possible.

Expanding scope

Initially, the focus was on climate change, measuring greenhouse gases and land use change.

Today, the scope is expanding. The team is working on incorporating other environmental impact factors, such as water (availability and scarcity) and land use (changes in soil quality), into the model.

Unearthing the hotspots

Getting to grips with all this information means the ABN team can calculate the environmental emissions of the feeds themselves. And that’s what gives them the crucial benchmarks for customers.

As Tegan says, "You can't reduce your environmental impact until you know where you stand."

These benchmarks are already revealing hotspots for improvement. But, as Tegan admits, there are challenges.

"While we can do this analysis, there's currently no financial incentive for farmers to reduce their carbon footprint,” she says. “Until that changes, or regulations are introduced, it’s going to be slow progress. But we’ll be ready.”

On trial

Steve picks up the story, explaining how research and development are playing a vital role in ABN’s commitment to improving those emissions figures.

"Retailers are driving this push for sustainability, especially regarding soy, which has a high emissions footprint,” he says. “Our trials are exploring alternative protein sources that can reduce our reliance on soy and lower the carbon footprint of our feeds."

These trials are looking at everything from blends including whole rape, to beans and beyond.

While some have prompted celebration, reducing carbon without compromising performance, others need more work to get right. And with additional cost always a consideration, it’s important to hit the mark.

"It's a balancing act," Steve explains. "We need to find solutions that are both environmentally and economically viable."

The trials are rigorous and time-consuming. Weaner trials take two months, while finishing trials require six months of repeated testing.

"It's a long process," Steve acknowledges, "but we're committed to finding the right solutions."

Pushing for standards

Although the ABN team knows the value of the work already created a lack of standardisation in PEF methodology across the industry presents a challenge.

"Everyone's doing it slightly differently," says Tegan, "which makes it difficult to compare apples with apples."

And that’s why AB Agri, along with our colleagues across ABF, is actively involved in efforts to standardise PEF methodology, with representatives on various industry boards and initiatives, to push for a more unified approach.

It’s all part of that group-wide commitment to continuous improvement and collaboration, towards a better food system. Together, we can make a difference.