Defra must reverse a decision permitting the use of fishmeal in organic pig and poultry diets; and the organic sector must repudiate exploitative fishing practices that threaten marine diversity.
Further, a decision to reclassify fish as a ‘non-agricultural ingredient’ will pull the organic content of some rations to below 90%, making a mockery of the ruling which states a minimum 95% must be achieved as from next year.
This is the view of Ian Proctor, managing director of Derbyshire-based organic feed manufacturer Hi Peak Feeds of Killamarsh, who believes Defra’s stance has not been properly thought through and could result in more fishmeal being fed to organic livestock than to conventional; a position he considers indefensible.
“At a time when industrial fishing is the greatest culprit for declining fish populations - including accidentally caught non-target species such as dolphins, whales and sea birds - organics should distance itself from such unsustainable and irresponsible fishing techniques,” said Mr Proctor.
“Some fish species are actually facing extinction, which could have serious ecological consequences. Trawling is particularly destructive in this respect because it additionally damages the reefs and aquatic plants that form the basis for the ecosystem.
“I do not believe consumers will accept depletion of fish stocks in this way in order to feed livestock, let alone organic livestock. Yet ironically, fishmeal usage is likely to increase in organic feeds because it has been reclassified as a ‘non-agricultural ingredient’ like minerals. Therefore, it can be used over and above the non-organic feed allowance in pig and poultry diets, and is invariably cheaper than its organic alternatives. It appears the only constraints on fishmeal usage are nutritional tolerance and market forces.
“We have to question the ethical appropriateness of organics going down this road. Actively encouraging fishmeal into the organic food chain was surely not the original intention but that is where Government policy seems to have taken us. The Sector should resist these moves and seek the removal of fishmeal altogether from organic feeds,” commented Mr Proctor.
He went on to say the current situation undermines and potentially wrecks the longstanding UK-objective of achieving 100% organic rations. Mr Proctor added he was already in correspondence with Defra-head Hilary Benn, and acknowledged that any revision to the present arrangement was likely to be consumer-driven. Accordingly, Hi Peak Feeds he said would be undertaking a series of surveys as well as issuing a petition to ascertain consumer opinion on the issue.
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