March 16, 2016

FEFAC calls for better competitiveness of European livestock and feed sector

The European Feed Manufacturers' Federation or FEFAC has expressed its solidarity with Europe's livestock farmers in the light of a prolonged market crisis.

According to the organisation, feed manufacturers have invested in R&D to improve feed efficiency which - with lower commodity prices - has helped to reduce production costs over the past years.

However, the significant fall in livestock production prices placed livestock farmers in a dire situation.

FEFAC aspires for the improved competitiveness of the European livestock sector by safeguarding unrestricted access to feed as the key input for livestock farming.

Therefore, it has called on EU policy makers to eliminate legislative obstacles as well as resolving administrative challenges in feed production, along with measures announced by the European Commission on March 14.

FEFAC also repeats its call to extend the mandate of the high-level DG AGRI Task Force on Agricultural Markets to investigate all EU regulatory measures contributing to higher feed costs. 

"The Commission needs to put an end to legislative developments which undermine the competitiveness of European feed manufacturers and livestock producers," Ruud Tijssens, president of FEFAC, said. "The GMO "opt-out" proposal for food and feed imports is the prime example of recent legislative action that jeopardises livestock farmers' access to competitive feed supplies".

FEFAC shares concerns expressed by COPA-COGECA regarding the serious market situation for EU livestock products. It supports COPA-COGECA's call on the EU Farm Council to consider immediate actions to relieve market pressure on livestock producers.