The Polish feed sector can breathe a sigh of relief, for now.
This extension marks a five-year delay to the original ban on inclusion of genetically modified (GM) feedstuffs, which was slated to take effect on January 1, 2025.
Poland’s 2006 Feed Act included provisions banning livestock feed containing GM ingredients, they have never been enforced and have been postponed several times. In December 2022 the Polish goverment issued another two-year postponement of the import ban. The Polish meat industry put pressure on the officials to extend that further.
This latest 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.
Like other EU countries, Poland has a huge dependency on imports of genetically modified soybean meal, 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 process.
Experts warned that implementing the ban in 2025 could have severely disrupted feed supply for monogastric animals like poultry and pigs, potentially leading to a collapse in the livestock production sector. The postponement aligns with broader EU efforts to reduce reliance on imported protein crops and increase domestic production, backed by financial support from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
This five-year grace period will allow stakeholders to adjust their feed production systems, adapt formulations, and enhance technological processes to accommodate non-GMO raw materials. It will also provide time to evaluate changes in the protein crop market and rebuild supply chains.
From the archives
Poland poised to postpone ban on GM feed
Polish ag ministry takes harder line against SMB imports
Poland's soybean self-sufficiency remains low for now. In terms of current soybean cultivation, nearly 80,000 hectares were sown last spring, up from over 44,000 hectares in 2023. Soy ranks as the third most important legume in the country, following lupin and field pea. The majority of Poland’s soy is grown in the southeastern regions, particularly in Podkarpacie, Lublin, and Małopolska.
