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FAQs on the relevance of the authorisation of processed animal proteins (PAPs) in poultry and pig feed

What is insect production ?

Insect production, a relatively young agri-food sector in the European Union, is a farming system that relies on the capacity of to bioconvert under-used or lower-value agri-food co-/by-products into insect processed animal proteins (also referred to as ‘PAPs’), lipids/fats and insect-derived fertiliser.

Why insects ? Insect farming contributes to facilitating the transition from linear to circular business models in , improving local self-sufficiency. As insects are mostly farmed on agri-food co-/by-products or foodstuffs no longer intended for human consumption (i.e. former foodstuffs), such farming practices contribute to safely reintroducing in the agri-food chains, reducing the food waste burden (e.g. as such products may be downcycled, incinerated or landfilled), while also generating locally-produced feed ingredients. The development of innovative farming practices, such as insect farming, contributes to ensuring coherence with the key directions of EU flagship initiatives that aim at transitioning towards climate neutrality (e.g. EU Green Deal, to Fork, etc.)i.

Legal statusii. Are insect PAPs already used in poultry or pig nutrition in the EU?

The use of insect PAPs in poultry and pig nutrition are allowed following the entry into force of the Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1372 of 17 August (‘on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union’). Prior to the entry into force of this piece of legislation, the use of insect PAPs was not allowed in the European Union Member States (however, such products have been used for R&D purposes)iii - with the exception of the and pet food market, feed for fur animals and other non- food producing animals (e.g. reptiles, birds of prey, zoo and circus animals) as defined in article 18 of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 (more information in the IPIFF Guide on Good Hygiene Practices, page 23).

Who is producing insects for animal feed?iv Today, most companies involved in insect production activities are micro- (under 10 FTEs) and small-size enterprises (10-50 FTEs). Such entities are newly established or previously active in other agri-food sectors (e.g. such as the production of insects for biological control).

As a general rule, operators active in the rearing of insects, and/or in other handling operations that are directly associated with these activities are considered as ‘primary producers’, according to EU food and feed hygiene legislation. These operators have to comply with all relevant EU feed safety obligations (more information in the IPIFF Guide on Good Hygiene Practices, page 13).

Are insects compatible with the nutritional needs of farmed animals? This approval will offer local solutions that answer the specific needs of poultry and pig . Insects are a natural component of the diets of wild animals such as carnivorous cats, fish, poultry and pigs. Insect PAPs have an amino acid profile that makes them highly digestible for animals. In addition, they contain relevant vitamins (, cobalamin, which is a limiting factor in ingredients of vegetal origin and vitamin B 2, riboflavin) or fatty acids, as well as - which has immunostimulatory properties. These products are particularly suited for young monogastric animals as well as for organic producers who are looking for highly nutritious protein sources.

What are the economic opportunities for the insect producing companies targeting the poultry and pig feed markets?

As of the entry into force of the authorisation to use insect PAPs in poultry and pig feed, two of the most important European animal feed markets will be open for the first time for insect business operators. This legislative development should also stimulate the demand for insect-derived ingredients in animal nutrition, implicitly leading to an increase in the production capacity of the European insect sector (for more information on this subject, please refer to the IPIFF market factsheet on insects as feedv).

In addition to the possibility to incorporate insect PAPs in conventional poultry and pig feed, the opportunities opened by the EU organic legislation - that allows the incorporation of 5% non-organically certified feed in the diet of poultry and pig animals - may also play an important role in strengthening the collaboration between insect business operators and the sector (e.g. prior to the establishment of EU organic standards for insect farming activities).

Insect farming offers new employment opportunities Following this authorisation, the growth of the insect farming sector would create new economic opportunities in rural, urban and peri-urban areas: • According to European insect producers, the authorisation of insect PAPs in poultry and pig feed will play an important role in generating up to 25 000 new direct and indirect jobs by 2030. • It also opens new opportunities for European farmers (e.g. livestock producers) to diversify their activities towards insect production and thereby generate additional sources of revenue.

What is the growth potential of the sector? From several thousand tonnes of insect PAPs produced in 2019, the insects as feed sector is expected to grow its production capacity following the authorisation of insect PAPs in poultry and pig feed. As insect PAPs are generally used as a complement or partial replacement to protein feed ingredients, the use of insect-based feed may be incorporated in the production of: • 1 in 40 eggs consumed in the EU and 1 in 50 chicken meat servings; • 1 in 100 pigmeat servings consumed in the EU.

Does this upcoming authorisation impact the use of whole insects?

Presently, killed whole insects (with or without any further treatment) - but not ‘processed’ according to Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 - may not be used as feed for food-producing animals (for further information on the use of whole insects, please refer to the IPIFF Guide on Good Hygiene Practices - page 24).

Endnotes

i Notably, the EU Farm to Fork aims at reducing the dependency on critical feed materials (e.g. soya grown on deforested land) by fostering EU-grown plant proteins as well as alternative feed materials such as insects, marine feed stocks (e.g. algae) and by-products from the bio-economy.

ii Which pieces of legislation are relevant for stakeholders involved in the production of insect PAPs for poultry or pig nutrition?

An overview of the relevant pieces of legislation is presented in the IPIFF Guide on Good Hygiene Practices (pages 9-10). iii Following the entry into force of the above-mentioned authorisation, which insect species will be allowed to produce insect-derived processed animal proteins (PAPs) for poultry and pig nutrition?

According to the EU Catalogue of feed materials (i.e. Regulation (EU) No 68/2013), processed animal proteins (PAPs) derived from terrestrial invertebrates may be used in animal feed. However, EU legislation differentiates between the targeted animal species: different rules may indeed apply if the targeted species are farmed animals – amongst which the EU legislator distinguishes between food-producing animals (e.g. ruminant, mono monogastric animals, farmed fish) and other farmed animals (e.g. fur animals) - or non-farmed animals (e.g. pet food animals). For more information, please refer to the diagram from the IPIFF Guide on Good Hygiene Practices (page 73).

Previously, the TSE Legislation (i.e. Regulation (EC) No 999/2001) prohibited the use of processed animal proteins in feed for ruminant and non-ruminant-farmed animals, thereby also for farmed insects, since those are categorised as such by the EU Legislator. Regulation (EU) 2017/893, however, lifted this ban in the case where insect PAPs and compound feed containing PAPs were intended as feed for aquaculture animals. The act voted in April 2021 (i.e. amending the Section F - Annex IV of the Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 - including ‘poultry and porcine animals’) – namely the Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1372 of 17 August allows the use of insect PAPs in feed poultry and porcine animals, under the same conditions as required for feeding farmed fish. Thus, this authorisation covers the same species authorised in aquaculture feed (i.e. listed in the Chapter II of Annex X to Regulation (EU) No 142/2011) - namely: black soldier (Hermetia illucens), house fly (Musca domestica), yellow (Tenebrio molitor), lesser mealworm (), house (Acheta domesticus), banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) and field cricket (Gryllus assimilis). For more information on this subject, please refer to the IPIFF Guide on Good Hygiene Practices (page 22).

iv Which insect operators may benefit from this authorisation?

In line with the amendment to the Section F - Annex IV of the Regulation (EC) No 999/2001, insect PAPs must be produced ‘in processing plants approved in accordance with Article 24(1), point (a) of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 and dedicated exclusively to the production of products derived from farmed insects’ (for more information, please refer to the IPIFF Guide on Good Hygiene Practices - page 23). Other insect-derived feed ingredients may be produced in the same facility (e.g. insect-derived PAPs for food-producing animals may be produced in the same facility where insect-derived oil for non- food-producing animals is produced).

Compound feed (i.e. a mixture of at least two feed materials, whether or not containing feed additives, for oral animal- feeding in the form of complete or complementary feed - Regulation (EC) No 767/2009), containing insect PAPs, shall be produced in establishments that are authorised for producing compound feed (i.e. by the competent authority) and are

dedicated to the production of feed for aquaculture animals, poultry or porcine animals. In other words, insect PAPs may only be used in feed manufacturing plants which do not include production lines intended for farmed animal species other than fish, poultry or swine (e.g. feed for ruminants, rabbits or horses).

Under certain conditions, following an inspection of the competent authority, derogations to the above conditions may be granted (e.g. the competent authority may authorise the production of insect PAPs in processing plants processing by- products from other species and/or the production of compound feed containing insect PAPs, intended for fish, poultry or swine, may be authorised in establishments which also produce compound feed intended for other farmed animals (e.g. ruminant) as long as these production lines and storage areas are located in separate facilities).

v According to the latest FEFAC reports, the poultry feed market represents 34% of the total EU compound feed market, followed by the pig feed market with 31% (the poultry market represented 57% of the ‘value of purchased compound feed in total animal output value in 2019’, followed by the pig market with 29%).