Poultry, feed companies among the newest members of the Round Table on Responsible Soy Association
Tyson Foods Inc. and Grupo Vall Companys are among the newest members of the Round Table on Responsible Soy Association (RTRS).
Tyson, the largest poultry producer in the U.S. and second largest in the world, and Vall Companys, one of Europe’s largest animal feed producers, join companies such as Avena Nordic Grain Oy, Finland’s leading trader in grains and oilseeds, and Restaurant Brands International, owner of Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes.
The Round Table on Responsible Soy is a civil organization that promotes responsible production, processing and trading of soy on a global level. Members include the main representatives of the soy value chain and members of civil society from around the world. According to the Round Table philosophy, players from different areas and with diverse interests obtain equal rights and get together with a common purpose, thus assuring dialogue and decision-making by consensus.
“We will acquire RTRS-certified material for the soybean meal used to feed chickens in our supply chain, which generally comes from areas identified as ‘high risk,’” said Maggie Jo Hansen, senior commodity analyst, international and sustainability at Tyson Foods. “In addition, we hope to identify other opportunities to work with RTRS in order to guarantee sustainable soy practices globally.”
According to WATTAgNet and Feed Strategy data, Tyson operates subsidiaries in the U.S., China, Brazil and Mexico. In 2018, it produced more than 2 billion birds. Tyson Foods operates 32 feed mills, including three in China and India, and produced 10 million metric tons of feed in 2018.
Grupo Vall Companys is a family-owned Spanish agrifood business producing pork, poultry, beef and flour products. Its vertically integrated operations make Grupo Vall Companys one of Europe’s largest feed producers. It produced 1.9 million metric tons of feed in 2018.