The organic sector should seek to reverse a decision permitting the use of fishmeal in organic pig and poultry diets and repudiate exploitative fishing practices that threaten marine diversity.
Further, the reclassification of 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 policy on this issue 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.
In support of this view the company recently commissioned a survey of 100 food shoppers to establish their attitude on the inclusion of fishmeal in organic pig and poultry rations. An overwhelming 82% said they were against the inclusion of fishmeal in organic feed diets.
"At a time when industrial fishing is the greatest culprit for declining fish populations - including accidentally caught non-target species such as dolphins, turtles, whales and sea birds - organics should distance itself from such unsustainable and irresponsible fishing techniques. Clearly this is a view shared by the consumer and it is important we do not fly in the face of public opinion," said Mr Proctor.
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"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.
"Ironically, the current situation means 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.
"To question the ethical appropriateness of organics going down this road is absolutely correct. 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," 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.
