Workshop on the developments of plant proteins in the EU 1 2 July 2019

Prot ein t ransit ion in

Flanders Region

Workshop on t he development s of plant prot eins in t he EU 1 – 2 July 2019

Agenda

Proteins

crops in Flanders Region

Action plan alt ernat ive prot ein sources

Study on t he pot ent ial of prot eins

Opportunities

for t he agricult ural sect or: SWOT

and recommendat ions

Prot ein crops in Flanders Region

Arable farming in Flanders: o family business

o expensive agricultural land

o increasingly characterized by scaling up, specialization, innovation and

w idening

third of arable land for the production of grain for feed, pot at oes (+) and sugar beet (-)

Fodder crops (forage maize, meadows, etc.) are 60% of the area and can be associat ed w it h cat t le farming

Prot ein crops in Flanders Region

Protein crops have increased in recent years:

o 13,600 ha => 26,500 ha (2010-2018) o Mainly grass clover (16,000 ha)

o Peas (2,500 ha) and green beans (2000 ha) for industrial processing o field beans (2,500 ha)

Prot ein crops in Flanders

Platform for Socially Responsible Feed Sources (SRFS) o Blair House and BSE crisis => more use of soy in feed, mainly imported from

Latin-America

o Pioneer in socially responsible soy: 365,000 t in 2017-2018

Flemish Parliament protein supply study day in 2008

25/02/2010: signing of commitment statement regarding SRFS bet w een Flemish Government and t he Belgian Feed Associat ion (BFA)

3 objectives:

o Making animal feed flow s more socially responsible

o Promoting local (European) protein sources and better use of proteins o Diversification of the use of proteins

Action plan alternative protein sources (AAE)

Act ieplan Alt ernat ive Prot ein sources

Duration of 5 years 5 levers

1. Sensitization and information 2. Raising aw areness w ithin the EU

3. Encouraging (rather practice-oriented) research 4. Subsidizing farmers through specific measures 5. Mapping the valorization paths of by-products

New a ccen t s in t he fra mewo rk o f a ch a n gin g co n t ext

Adapted policy→ new CAP Developments in research

1. Sensit izat ion and informat ion

Information sessions for farmers

o Crop choice, production technics, crop protection o Increase yields of grass and grass clover

o Improve soil quality (increase organic carbon component, more crop

diversification by using protein crops,…)

Demonstration project s

New a ccent s

Introduce new crops

o Greening CAP → crop diversification o RDP III → premium leguminous

=> MUCH MORE KNOWLEDGE BUILDING NEEDED FOR GROWERS!

2. Creat ing awareness on EU level

Increa se su p p o rt

Spread RSFS act ions t o ot her LS’s

Keep prot ein crops under Agri-environment -climat e Measures (AECM)

New a ccen t s

safely reuse animal meal

Reglementary framew ork for using insect flour in animal feed

3. St imulat ing research

Coordinating, making an invent ory an init iat ing research P o t e n t i a lnew prot ein sources

A t t e n t i o n for feed performances

Farmer’sint erest in framew ork of greening => encouragement for breeders

New a ccen t s

Soya in Flanders for human consumpt ion

o Trying out production and solving many technical issues o Importance of high protein content (>40%)

o Objective is upscaling from research (75 ha) to industrial level

Insects

o Research nutritional value and food safety

4. Specific subsidies

Wit h in Eu ro p ea n Reglemen t a iry fra mewo rk → CAP

Greening

o Cultivation of nitrogen-binding crops in relation to obligations

regarding EFA and cultivation diversification: cultivation experiments w ith red clover, alfalfa, peas, beans or lupins

o Action to put soy on list of crops for EFA

RDP III

o Premium leguminous plants successful (especially premium grass

clover)

5. Valorizat ion of by-product s

Livestock farming as a high-qualit y valorisat ion channel

o Animal meal → EU decision + more flexibility than before

o By products of bio-ethanol (DDGS) and biodiesel (rapeseed meal) o By-products food industry (press pulp, beer trot, potato press

fibers…) → long tradition

o Products from market surpluses and crop residues: research for

possible applications and use of fruit and vegetables

o Increase protein quality and availability (resistant soy => less

St udy on prot ein pot ent ial

WHY?

Ambition of FlandersRegionto becomea leader in EU in the field of food

Growing consumerdemand for alternative proteins in

order to replacemeat leading to economicopportunities for Flandersregion

CONTENT:

Study concerning t he st at e of play and pot ent ioal of (high) t echnological solut ions t o replace meat prot eins in t he daily diet

LINK:

h t t p s:/ / vla io .be/ n l/ n ieu ws/ eiwit t ra n sit ie bied t vo lo p -o p p -o rt u n it eit en - v-o -o r- vla a n d eren

St udy on prot ein pot ent ial

CONTENT:

Very bread and covers all alternatives to meat Only food aspects

CHAPTERS:

Ongoingresearch Product innovat ions

Agricultural en indust rial pot ent ial Consumer accept ance

Ecological and nut rit ional aspect s Reglementary framew ork

St udy on prot ein pot ent ial

USEFUL INFORMATION ON:

Protein crops for human consumption Criteria for assessingprotein crops:

o Designed for the production in Flanders Region o Revenue, balance or income - expenses

o Market: insecurity and obstacles

o Cultivar risks: climate, diseases and w eeds

SWOT-analysis

STRENGTHS

Favorable climate for many legumes (such as peas, field

beans, lupine)

Regional market s present for soy (Flanders), peas (Wallonia), lupine (t he Net herlands, Germany) and t o a lesser ext ent for quinoa (Dut ch Quinoa Group)

Access to knowledge about commercial insect cultivation, algae cult ivat ion and seaw eed cult ivat ion available

SWOT-analysis

WEAKNESSES

High pressure on balances, making it difficult for new crops

w it h uncert ain yields t o compet e w it h crops like w heat Relatively little experience with new protein crops and

prot ein crop yields are oft en st ill t oo low t o be economically viable

Algae and insect cultivation is (now) energy intensive and expensive and farms have lit t le capit al for new

t echnological cult ures such as insect s and algae. Complex Novel Food legislation for SME’s

SWOT-analysis

OPPORTUNITIES

Demand for protein crops is increasing worldwide

Demand for non-GMO crops for t he European food market Demand of (some) processors concerning local cult ivat ion (consumer needs)

Organize chains to offer market ing and securit y of supply Higher yields and fewer cultivation risks due to plant

SWOT-analysis

THREATS

Climate condit ions for some prot ein crops (including soy) not ideal

Due to uncertainty about the decrease and yield, arable farmers are not inclined t o grow new crops

No certainty about admission for human consumption and consumer accept ance of insect and algae prot eins

Recommendat ions

Join the forces of sectors in a specific protein-t ransit ion

plat form (consult at ive and net w orking body) w it h t he aim of exchanging know ledge, st art ing joint project s, exploit ing financing opport unit ies and promot ing t he sect or.

Strengthen the knowledge position of Flemish universities

by st imulat ing cooperat ion bet w een Flemish know ledge inst it ut ions t hemselves and w it h know ledge inst it ut ions out side Flanders.

Organize the chain of protein crops (science, breeders,

grow ers, processors) t o improve yields and harvest securit y and t o offer market ing and securit y of supply.

.

Recommendat ions

Encourage and facilit at e furt her upscaling of new cult ivat ion t echniques

Strengthen communicat ion about available (innovat ion) incent ives t o SME’s in t he food sect or

Provide information about the qualitative, ecological and

healt h aspect s of product s w here animal prot eins have been replaced by veget able prot eins.

Use incentive measures to develop new market concepts for processed meat t hat part ly consist of veget able prot eins

Recommendat ions

Formulate a broad vision and long-t erm st rat egy on t he

prot ein t ransit ion for Flanders t hrough various policy areas. In w hich bot h animal feed, human food and ot her

Policy int ent ions for t he fut ure

St eering t h e p ro t ein t ra nsit io n wit h a mo re imp o rt a nt p ro t ein p o licy

Focus on food and feed

More sust ainable feed: less dependance from soy import and use of more locally produced prot ein sources and

valorizat ion of residual flow s in cooperat ion w it h BFA

M o r e a t t e n t i o n t o qualit y, sust ainabilit y and healt h aspect s of prot ein product ion and consumpt ion

Policy int ent ions for t he fut ure

St eering t h e p ro t ein t ra nsit io n wit h a mo re imp o rt a nt p ro t ein p o licy

Stimulate shift t ow ards more plant based and innovat ive prot eins:

o Start new protein sources

o Create stable investment climate

o Support and assistance of farmers during the w hole chain from farm

to fork

Policy int ent ions for t he fut ure

Assist a nce o f ca t t le fa rmin g t o wa rd s a mo re su st a in a ble p ersp ect ive in t he fu t u re

Increasing demand for sust ainable food opport unit y for t he animal sect or

A d j u s t m e n t of t radit ional product ion met hod, w it h a bet t er and sust ainable product ion model, based on qualit y,

sust ainabilit y and circularit y w it h t he goal of less but bet t er

Policy int ent ions for t he fut ure

Su st a in a ble p ro t ein co n su mp t io n

the context of healthy and sustainable dietary patterns, t o support a part ial shift in consumpt ion from animal t o

veget able prot eins and a reduct ion in t ot al prot eins consumed

Policy int ent ions for t he fut ure

Imp o rt a n t ro le o f resea rch

Protein t ransit ion means lot s of challenges on research level Focus on cult ivat ion and processing of prot ein crops,

valorisat ion of residual flow s in t he feed and food chain and product ion of innovat ive prot eins

Policy int ent ions for t he fut ure

In p ra ct ice?

CAP (pillar 1 en 2) for measures and subsidies

Continue and broaden Flemish act ionplan “Alt ernat ive Prot ein Sources”

Inform farmers for t he cult ivat ion of (new ) plant prot eins follow ed by demonst rat ion project s

Policy int ent ions for t he fut ure

In p ra ct ice?

Importanceof exchanging know ledge and pract ices w it h ot her MS

Flanders Food (clust er organisat ion):

o unique, strategy-driven platform that contributes to a more competitive,

innovative and sustainable agri-food industry through innovation

o it recently developed a new program line on new and shifting resources

w ith the focus on the protein shift.

o They are building a research consortium w ith lead scientists & captains of

industry and society in this area on the one hand and try to activate industry and start-ups to invest in this protein shift on the other hand

Thank you