About us - soy network switzerland

Goals and Achievements

The Swiss Soy Network addresses the major levers: protein supply and procurement in the animal feed sector and thus the urgency of procuring animal feed abroad in a sustainable, deforestation-free and climate-friendly manner. The aim of the network is to achieve at least 90 per cent market coverage with responsibly produced soya and other animal feed for Switzerland.

Worldwide, the proportion of responsibly produced soya is only around 4 per cent. Only in Europe is there demand for sustainable feed soya. Switzerland is called upon to maintain the high level of quality and contribute to the further development of international standards. In addition to soya, other feedstuffs (broken rice, grain, maize gluten, dextrose) are also continuously procured sustainably.

Switzerland imported 220'000 tonnes of feed soya in 2023, and the trend is downwards. All imports are now certified by sustainability standards, are GMO-free and deforestation-free and over 90% of them come from Europe. As a result,_CO2 emissions have been reduced by 85% compared to 2010. When the Russian supplier was delisted in response to the war in Ukraine, the network proved that it can react quickly and take responsibility.

Additional feedstuffs

A total of over 50 feed components are imported into Switzerland. The most important components are, in order of quantitative importance, soya, wheat, hay, lucerne, fodder beet and maize. In addition to feed soya, the Soya Network sets requirements for sustainable procurement for wheat, barley, oats, broken rice, maize gluten and dextrose.

From the 2021 harvest, importers will only procure feed grain that has been produced without synthetic ripening acceleration. From 2022, only broken rice with a sustainability certificate will be used as livestock feed and from 2025, maize gluten and from 2027 dextrose will also come 100% from certified cultivation. You can find out more about additional animal feed in our fact sheet and in the current annual report.

Our criteria

In a global context, Switzerland is an insignificant soya producer and consumer. Nevertheless, Switzerland is considered a pioneer for more sustainable soya production. Swiss players such as Coop and WWF were the first to recognise the problems of the global soy boom and took action. Together, they launched the so-called "Basel Criteria" for sustainable soya cultivation in 2004.

Certified soy in accordance with Bio Suisse guidelines, Pro Terra Standard, RTRS Non GM Standard, CSA-GTP, Donau Soja Standard, Europa Soja Standard and ISCC PLUS Non-GMO are currently decisive for achieving the network's objectives. These are currently the leading standards of the soya network. Through the controls, the standards ensure compliance with the law. What these standards have in common is that they guarantee the most environmentally and socially responsible soya production possible.

Dans ses valeurs fondamentales, le Réseau suisse pour le soja définit ses exigences en matière de culture et d'achat de soja fourrager responsable (au-delà des normes).

Les acheteurs de soja, les négociants et les fabricants d'aliments pour animaux qui proposent du soja responsable conformément aux normes fondamentales obtiennent le statut de réseau. Le statut de réseau est attribué dans le cadre du concept de contrôle du réseau soja

Association

The Soy Network Switzerland is the competence centre and exchange platform for the Swiss agriculture and food industry for all questions and concerns relating to soya and other feedstuffs for animal feed purposes. The organisation is committed to the cultivation, procurement, marketing and use of responsibly produced animal feed.

The Soy Network Switzerland is organised as an association and network. It is implementation-orientated and works directly with the companies involved in the market. It sees itself as a link and mediator between agriculture, suppliers, standard organisations, authorities and science.

Statutes of the Swiss Soy Network Association (in German)

Board: Fortunat Schmid (Fenaco, President), Andrin Dietziker (Coop), Michel Darbellay (SBV), Thomas Kopp (VSGF), Christian Oesch (VSF), Andrea Rota (Migros),

Members and statements

Since 2011, the Soy Network Switzerland has worked towards buying soy from environmentally and socially responsible production and jointly communicating its added value. This alliance of soy buyers, producer associations, label and environmental organizations, manufacturers and retailers has the following members:

Aachtal Futter AG, Agrokommerz AG, Agrokorn AG, ALDI SUISSE AG, Bell Schweiz AG, Bio Suisse, Branchenorganisation Milch, Cerador AG, Coop Genossenschaft, Denner AG, Egli Mühlen AG, Emmi Gruppe, Ernst Sutter AG, fenaco Genossenschaft, GalloSuisse, Granovit AG, Heinz & Co. AG, IP-SUISSE, Kunz Kunath AG, Lidl Schweiz, Meliofeed AG, Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund, Nungesser AG, Schweizer Bauerverband (SBV), Schweizer Milchproduzenten (SMP), Suisseporcs, Transgourmet Schweiz AG, UFA AG, Verband des Schweizerischen Getreide- und Futtermittelhandels (VSGF), Vereinigung Schweizerischer Futtermittelfabrikanten (VSF), Volg Konsumwaren AG, Weber&Hermann AG, WWF Schweiz.

Salome Hofer CoopTogether with the WWF, Coop developed the Basel criteria and laid the foundation for the soy network. We support the network, enjoy Switzerland's leading role and rely on soy from Europe in the Naturafarm programmes.

Romain Deveze WWFThe network is great opportunity to leverage market players towards eliminating deforestation and/or conversion of natural habitats related to soy production from their supply chains but also influence sustainability standards globally.

Fortunat Schmid fenacoSustainability is a central concern of the fenaco cooperative. The preservation and regenerative use of natural resources and ecosystems is considered a central prerequisite for social and economic development. As a founding member and well-known procurer, fenaco actively supports and develops the efforts of the Soy Network Switzerland for the responsible procurement of raw materials for feed and food production in Switzerland.

Christian Oesch VSFResponsible and sustainable production is part of modern agriculture. With its activities, the Soy Network Switzerland lays an important cornerstone for sustainability in all dimensions of the entire food value chain.

Kassandra Marty LIDL SwitzerlandLidl Switzerland aims to make sustainable shopping possible for everyone. Since Lidl also sells animal products, the sustainable procurement of the valuable raw material soy is of central importance. The overarching cooperation with the Soy Network Switzerland is the basis for this.

Martin Rufer Schweizer BauernverbandSustainability is very important for Swiss agriculture, and this also applies to livestock feed. That is why livestock farmers in Switzerland use responsibly produced and GMO-free soy in their feed. This is further proof of the uniqueness of Swiss agriculture.

Reto Burkhardt Schweizer MilchproduzentenProtein also plays an important role in Switzerland's grassland, in the needs-based feeding of dairy cows. In the increasingly tough international market environment for milk and dairy products, the use of sustainably produced soya is an important differentiator from the competition.

Kurt Egli Egli MühlenEgli Mühlen AG attaches particular importance to its independence in the procurement of sustainable soy meal and is committed to responsible soy production. Soya is the most important protein supplier for our compound feeds. In addition to sustainability, our soy is of high quality and is ideally suited for performance-oriented feeding. Egli Mühlen AG is committed to active and open communication at every stage of food production, right through to the consumer. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Reto Sutter Ernst Sutter AGSustainability is an important part of our corporate strategy. Ernst Sutter AG has clearly regulated the use of soya in its procurement conditions: If soy is used as animal feed, only soy produced in accordance with the guidelines of the Soy Network may be used. This ensures that our livestock producers only use certified soy from responsible, sustainable cultivation.

Thomas Eberle ALDI SUISSE As a responsible Swiss retailer, we are committed to sustainable product development. The sustainable sourcing of environmentally friendly soy in animal feed demonstrates our corporate commitment to the environment, people and animals, in line with our sustainability programme "Today for Tomorrow". By becoming a member of the Soy Network Switzerland, we also demonstrate our commitment to Swiss agriculture.

[Translate to Englisch:] Engelbert Daehler [Translate to Englisch:] Volg As a traditional Swiss retailer, we have always had strong links with Swiss agriculture through our Volg village shops. Our deep roots in rural areas are reflected in our clear commitment to Swiss food. Volg therefore supports efforts to ensure that only responsibly produced soya is used in livestock feed.

Fatos Brunner Bio Suisse[Translate to Englisch:] Since 01.01.2019, all Bud feed, including soya and soya components, must originate from European production. Bio Suisse supports the cultivation of soya in Switzerland with targeted subsidies. Like the other Bud feedstuffs, Bud soya also comes from controlled and certified organic farms. These produce in accordance with the Bio Suisse guidelines in an environmentally friendly, fair and GMO-free manner. Wherever possible, organic farms use feed from their own farms.

Samuel Geissbühler UFA UFA is committed to successful and sustainable animal husbandry in Switzerland. As a compound feed producer, we process and refine domestic raw materials (feed grains and by-products of the food industry) as a matter of priority, thus closing the meaningful cycle of arable crops. In the case of imported raw materials, we pay attention to quality, freedom from GMOs and sustainability. For years, we have used only responsibly produced and certified soy products. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Reto Hübscher Emmi SchweizThe sustainability of our products stands and falls with the production of the milk. For Emmi, the focus is not only on animal welfare, but also on feeding. Soya can be useful as a supplement to roughage if it comes from sustainable cultivation.

Bernhard Kammer Migros Soy should be produced responsibly. Migros welcomes and supports the efforts of the network. Where possible, Migros goes further and procures soya from Europe (e.g. for the Optigal poultry brand) and focuses on roughage and grassland-based programmes that do not use soya, such as Bio Weide-Beef and Terra Suisse meadow milk.

Philipp Zürcher Agrokommerz Agrokommerz AG not only markets imported soybean extraction meal, but also processes mainly top-quality Western European soybeans in Switzerland into soya cake and soya oil. Thanks to local processing, sustainability is further improved and any risks are reduced.

Become a member

The Soy Network Switzerland is an association of motivated organizations and welcomes all organizations that would like to promote responsible soy production. All the members of the Network are committed to actively helping reach its objectives. We will gladly send our terms and conditions to any organizations interested in joining. Please contact us.