Kemin Industries kicked off a new series of panel discussions, “Challenge to Change”, that brings together ideas and approaches to tangible, sustainable commitments for the animal feed industry in the EMENA (Europe, Middle East and North Africa) region.
The first “Challenge to Change” event took place on March 17 and focused on grain quality requirements and the carbon footprint of drying grain. During the virtual panel discussion, industry experts shared their insights on related sustainability challenges. These experts were Nick Major, corporate responsibility director, ForFarmers, and chairman of the board, Global Feed LCA Institute; Jack O’Hare, managing director, Adesco Nutricines; and Carmen Coetzee, senior product manager, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA.
“These panel discussions provide an opportunity to really ‘lay all the cards on the table’ and articulate actions that will advance the animal protein industry on the journey to carbon neutrality,” said Andrew Armstrong, regional manager – Western Europe, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA. “Our first ‘Challenge to Change’ event focuses on different grain storage methods and their effects on the environment. With increasing pressure to reduce the animal feed industry’s carbon footprint, now is the time to rethink how we manage crops stored for livestock feed. To impact climate change, we must shift current grain storage practices to more sustainable ones with fewer carbon emissions.”
In collaboration with key industry players in the region, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA has been working to reduce the carbon footprint of manufacturing and nutritional and management practices in the supply chain for animal protein by decreasing the emissions generated per kilogram of dry matter ingested. Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA also provides solutions to improve feed efficiency and formulation precision, resulting in higher productivity from healthier animals while minimizing the use of natural resources and energy. This helps aid animal welfare and protect the environment, as reducing waste and harmful emissions have a direct impact on the carbon footprint per kilogram of milk, meat and eggs.
At the beginning of the year, Kemin increased its involvement in Global Feed LCA Institute (GFLI) with the appointment of Stefaan Van Dyck, president, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA, to vice-chair of GFLI’s board of directors, and senior product manager, Diego Martinez del Olmo, as a member of the technical management committee, both for a two-year term. With this involvement in GFLI, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – EMENA will actively contribute to developing sustainable tools for animal feed production.
“Our vision is to sustainably transform the quality of life, but we cannot do this without the support of our suppliers and partners,” said Van Dyck. “Kemin has partnered with materials science leaders Dow and Adesco Nutricines to conduct a gate-to-gate life cycle impact assessment investigating greenhouse gas emissions in CO2 equivalents. The study—verified by Blonk Consultants—demonstrates the environmental benefits of grain treated with Kemin’s liquid preservatives. These results serve as the foundation of our first ‘Challenge to Change’ topic of discussion.”
Find more information on “Challenge to Change” here.
