Poland delays ban on GMO feed until 2030, citing lack of alternatives

Poland’s President, Andrzej Duda, has signed into law an extension on the use of genetically modified (GMO) feed, delaying a planned ban until January 1, 2030. The Polish feed sector can breathe a sigh of relief, for now. This extension marks a five-year delay to the original ban, which was slated to take effect on January 1, 2025. The delay is a response to the current shortage of high-protein raw materials in Poland that could replace genetically modified soybean meal (SBM) in animal nutrition, particularly in the production of compound feed for poultry and young pigs. The amendment to the Feed Act aims to provide more time for the Polish agricultural and feed sectors to develop viable alternatives. Currently, Poland imports large quantities of GM SMB, primarily from South America, as a cost-effective protein source for animal feed. Replacing this with domestically produced, high-protein raw materials of comparable quality and economic value is as a complex and time-consuming ...