We need to make better use of residual flows

Nowadays you can no longer open a trade journal without encountering the terms biodiversity, circular agriculture and climate. In my view it is (in many cases) about making the best use of the resources, without losing too much.

When losses occur somewhere in the chain, it is important to ensure that the losses can again serve as a raw material for another link in the chain. For example, I read about the Kipster concept in the Wageningen World magazine.

Limited Laws and Regulations
In this concept, the chickens are fed exclusively with raw materials that can no longer serve as food for humans. This also means that these animals do not receive food that can serve as food for humans. In both cattle farming and pig farming, this is done with by-products from the food industry; think of wheat yeast concentrate from bio-ethanol production and brewer's grains from the brewery.

This is just a small example. There are many more possibilities. However, the same magazine describes that only 4 to 5 million tons from the European food industry are used as animal feed. This while 115 million tons are available. So: only 4% of these residual flows are used for animal feed.

The fact that residual flows are currently insufficiently used for animal feed is partly due to limited legislation and regulations. For example, since 2003 it is no longer allowed to process kitchen waste and food leftovers as animal feed. As far as legislation and regulations are concerned, the necessary changes would still have to be made to increase the share for animal feed.

Food industry waste
In addition to this cause, there are probably other reasons why the percentage is so low. Perhaps it is due to logistical problems or processing issues. Or do economic motives play a role? Or is it perhaps a lack of knowledge and awareness?

In Japan, about 35% of the waste from the food industry is processed into pig feed. So it is possible. Whatever the reason, as a sector we have the task (and perhaps the obligation) to ensure that we use a substantial part of the residual flows for animal feed. Now the residual flows will probably be used in incinerators, as a raw material for composting or in biodigesters.

However, in my opinion we as an agricultural sector should try to use the food waste primarily for the production of milk, meat and eggs and not directly as raw material for an incinerator, composting or in a biodigester.

Final Thoughts: Take the Next Step
In my opinion, the use of animal manure (the residual flow from livestock farming) is the next step. A few weeks ago I was at a provincial government meeting for a meeting. There, a number of invited guests reacted with surprise that livestock farmers have to remove animal manure and then supply fertilizer. Fertilizer should serve as a supplement and not as a bitter necessity, because in some cases you have to dispose of animal manure as a livestock farmer.

This is the crux of the matter: how can (and should) we use animal manure better as a residual flow? I also wonder whether we should not look at feeding the soil life instead of feeding only the plant. If we focus on soil life and feed it with animal manure, which then ensures mineralization, we close the cycle a bit more.

At the same time, there are still many challenges here. What fertilizer (at what time of year) does the crop and soil life need? Can this be done with today's slurry or does it have to be processed first? Or should we go back in time and let manure mature? That is why (with a view to the new fertilizer regulation and the common policy) I would like to advocate support for projects and onderzoeken that are aimed at this. With today's technology it should be possible to measure which nutrients the soil life needs.

Crucial role
From the terms described in the first line of this blog, the 2 themes I described in this blog play a crucial role. From the point of view of circular agriculture and climate, it is essential to use the residual flows from the food industry as animal feed.

In addition, from circular agriculture, biodiversity and climate, soil life must be properly supplied with nutrition from animal manure. Which waste streams/manure streams do you think we need, and which can we use to feed livestock and soil life?

DLV Advice

DLV Advies is an independent consultancy for entrepreneurs, companies and organizations in the agricultural sector. In addition to individual advice, DLV supervises study groups and is active in various Agri&Food projects.

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