Only minor quantities of soy are used in the pig, poultry and beef production chain in Finland

In 2014 HKScan announced that by the end of 2018, all soy used in its meat value chain would be Group-wide responsibly produced under the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) or ProTerra certification systems. HKScan Sweden switched to using 100% responsibly produced soy during 2014-2015 and Finland followed in February 2017.

The meat used in HK® and Kariniemen® branded products is 100% domestic. The animal feed used in HKScan’s Finnish production chain is principally sourced from the meat producers’ own farms (80%). Finland uses 50% less soy in animal feed than elsewhere in Europe. Soy accounts for only 14-18% of poultry feed used by HKScan, and the figure for pig feed averages even lower, at 5-10 %. As a rule, no soy is added to cattle feed.

HKScan is continually searching for alternative sources of protein to add to animal feed. For instance the chief sources of protein used in the production of HK Omega-3® pork, in addition to domestic grain, are rapeseed, broad beans and peas. In the case of HK grain-fed pork, soy has been partly replaced by food industry byproducts such as barley protein, a side stream of the ethanol industry.

Animal feed used in the HKScan meat chain

HK Omega-3 pork®
  • Chief sources of protein are domestic grain, rapeseed, broad beans and peas.
HK grain-fed pork
  • Domestic grain
  • RTRS soy accounts for 5-10% of animal feed. The soy is partly replaced by side streams from the food industry.
HK beef
  • Principally grass feed.
  • As a rule no soy is added.
Kariniemen® chicken
  • Most feed is self-grown or sourced locally.
  • Domestic grain accounts for over half the protein content of feed. RTRS-certified soy accounts for 14-18% of poultry feed.

 

RTRS promotes sustainable soy farming and responsible soy production

The transition to 100% responsibly produced soy was an important step in HKScan’s commitment to sustainable meat production. The most harmful impacts of soy agriculture are seen in South America, where the continual expansion of farming land has resulted in deforestation, increased greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity depletion and erosion. WWF Finland has raised these issues in its Meat Guide for environmental better meat choices.

The Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) is an international initiative between voluntary stakeholders who pledge to collaborate to promote sustainable soy farming and responsible soy production. HKScan became a member of the RTRS in 2014.

In 2015 a number Finnish corporations undersigned a voluntary pledge to switch to 100% responsibly produced soy by 2020. The signatories were HKScan Finland, Kesko, Arla Suomi, Unilever Finland, Norvida and Fazer in cooperation with WWF Finland. HKScan Sweden is a signatory of the Swedish counterpart, the Svenska Sojadialogen -network.


For further information:
  • Pia Nybäck, Senior Vice President, Animal sourcing & Producer services, HKScan Corporation
  • Ulf Jahnsson, Vice President, Producer Services, Quality and CR, HKScan Corporation

Kindly submit a call-back request via Marja Siltala, VP Communications, tel. +358 10 570 2290, marja.siltala(at)hkscan.com