Swedish Trials Cut Feed Land Use Up to 40% Without Soy or Fishmeal

By Grace Kim

Feed formulations free of soy and fishmeal cut land use by 7–40% per kilogram of feed across four animal categories in three years of Swedish trials, according to life cycle assessments from the project "Feed of the Future for Fish, Pigs, Poultry and Laying Hens" (2023–2026).

Axfoundation and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) led the work, which drew together more than 25 partners spanning research, protein production, feed manufacturing, agriculture, aquaculture, retail and foodservice. Vinnova, Sweden's innovation agency, provided partial funding. Partners included Lantmännen, Axfood, Ragn-Sells, RISE, Vattenfall, Martin & Servera, Stjärnägg, Viking Fågel, Svenska Foder and Älvdalslax, among others.

The project built feeds from mycoprotein, mussel meal and insect meal produced from residual streams. Fish and pigs matched the growth of reference animals fed conventional rations. Laying hens held egg production steady. Broiler chickens grew more slowly, though the trial was affected by pilot-production limits and simultaneous feed supply-chain changes.

What did the environmental assessments show?

Per kilogram of feed, the circular formulations reduced land use 7–40% versus reference feeds in all four categories: fish, chicken, pig and laying hen. Climate impact came in lower for fish, chicken and laying hen feeds. Eutrophication potential fell for the fish, chicken and pig feeds.

Researchers at SLU evaluated ingredient nutrition and animal performance, including protein and amino acid digestibility studies in pigs and broilers. "Circular proteins can provide valuable alternatives to conventional feed ingredients, but protein content alone does not tell us how well an ingredient works," said Emma Ivarsson, senior lecturer at SLU's Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare. "Digestibility, amino acid composition and consistent quality are essential."

Fish, chicken, pork and eggs from the trials were sold or served in Sweden.

How big is the supply potential?

Project calculations indicate one underutilized Swedish industrial side stream could theoretically yield roughly 360,000 metric tons of mycoprotein annually. That exceeds, by weight, Sweden's total yearly soy imports for animal feed.

Cost remains the barrier. Circular feed proteins still cost more than conventional ingredients, and production capacity is limited. Ingredient producers must invest before demand exists; feed manufacturers and farmers need reliable supplies; food buyers need workable prices.

"Today's feed system relies heavily on imported raw materials and consumes vast amounts of land and marine resources," said Madeleine Linins Mörner, program director for Future Food at Axfoundation. "We've shown that it works in practice. Now businesses and policymakers need to create the conditions for these solutions to grow."

What has to change for scale-up?

The project identifies clearer, risk-based regulations, shared investment risks, long-term purchasing commitments and greater feed ingredient transparency as preconditions for wider adoption. Partners also recommend stronger support for industrial investment, better coordination among regulators, and closer Nordic and European cooperation.

"Demand for more sustainable feed will not necessarily be driven by consumers; rather, it requires the rest of the value chain to take shared responsibility," said Helena Allard, sustainability innovator at Axfood. "By creating demand for more sustainable feed, we can provide producers with better conditions to invest."

With the trials now closed, the next test is commercial: whether buyers, feed mills and regulators convert proven formulations and a 360,000-ton theoretical side-stream supply into standing market demand.