New Soya Standards for the UK Food Industry

Both the Non-GM Module and the Responsible Procurement modules were initiated at the request of British Retail Consortium members and the development process was overseen by the UK Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC).

30/09/08 In response to the challenge of addressing consumer concerns for ethical and environmental soya production, two new soya standards have been developed to cover Non-GM Soya and Responsibly Produced Soya.  The new standards are certified by PAI, one of Europe’s leading approved certifiers of food products, food authenticity, labelling claims and food chain traceability.

Paul Wright, Managing Director of PAI explains: “The audits involve our assessors checking right along the supply chain from field to export terminal and covering several thousand miles in the process. Compliance with the FEMAS Responsible Procurement Module involves the close monitoring of all farms involved in the growing of soya to ensure they do not harm natural forest. Our assessors verify controls, including satellite imagery, and reports of field staff are used to confirm that no breaches of protocols occur. Verification also confirms that soybeans entering the certified supply chain only come from identified and approved farms.”

Both the Non-GM Module and the Responsible Procurement modules were initiated at the request of British Retail Consortium members and the development process was overseen by the UK Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC). 

Tim Oliver of the FEMAS Working Group concludes: “FEMAS is concerned to ensure that the products it certifies meet the criteria agreed between supplier and customer. FEMAS utilises a risk-based methodology to evaluate the controls needed to meet these criteria. This means unnecessary costs are avoided where risks are low but the required controls are present where risks are higher. This approach has been welcomed by all participants in a supply chain where cost control is always an important issue but where confidence in the assurance provided is paramount.”