Five EU associations have warned the EUDR will disrupt feed sourcing from 30 December 2026, with costs of up to €1.4 billion and a potential four million to five million tonne supply gap.
The open letter, signed by AVEC (EU Poultry Meat Association), COPA-COGECA (European Farmers and Agri-Cooperatives), EDA (European Dairy Association), FEFAC (European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation) and UECBV (European Livestock and Meat Trades Union), states that enforcement will coincide with a period of compounded pressure on the EU feed chain, following a summer drought that sharply reduced home-grown feed supplies and ongoing Black Sea trade disruption.
According to FEFAC’s fourth update of its EUDR Economic Impact and Feed Supply Chain Disruption Risk Assessment, published on 16 September 2026, direct extra costs for sourcing EUDR-compliant soy products for feed use in 2027 are estimated at up to €1.05 billion. This assumes a €30 per tonne EUDR market premium across an estimated 35 million tonnes of soybean meal used in EU feed. When indirect cost increases for alternative high-protein feed materials such as rapeseed meal and sunflower meal are included, total additional procurement costs could reach €1.4 billion.
The assessment estimates direct cost impacts of around €40 per tonne for EU pigmeat production and €15 per tonne for poultry meat. The EUDR feed sourcing risk also includes a projected EU supply gap of approximately four million to five million tonnes for direct soybean meal imports, roughly 20 percent of the EU’s total soybean meal imports, for the 2026/2027 marketing year, with limited substitution options.
The signatories note that the compound feed sector is facing imminent EUDR application for the third consecutive year, following two one-year postponements. They state that only limited offers are available for soybean meal for the first quarter of 2027, with no market offers for the second quarter.
The associations express support for the EUDR’s objectives and acknowledge that no shortage of deforestation-free soy exists globally, citing the FEFAC Soy Sourcing Guidelines and more than 20 certification schemes benchmarked by the International Trade Centre. They argue, however, that compliance requires significant investment in dedicated supply chain logistics, which reduces the availability of EUDR-compliant deliveries to the EU.
The letter calls on the European Commission to adopt a contingency plan to ensure feed security, targeted simplification of the EUDR, practical implementation measures for in-scope feed ingredients, and additional trade facilitation instruments including bilateral agreements with key exporting countries.
FEFAC represents 27 national associations in 26 European countries. The European compound feed industry employs over 100,000 people across approximately 3200 production sites and has an estimated turnover of €63 billion.
