The first two pioneers to achieve certification against the requirements outlined in ASC’s Feed Standard are Mexican-based feed producer Vimifos and Skretting’s Chilean branch. This marks a significant milestone in the Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s mission to transform seafood farming towards more environmental and social responsibility.
Both Vimifos and Skretting undertook a rigorous audit process over several months for their sites. The conclusion of the audits has established that their processes and performances meet the Feed Standard’s robust environmental and social requirements. SCS was the independent certifier for Vimifos, while Control Union carried out the audit of Skretting Chile.
Vimifos was the first to achieve multi-site certification for three of its feed mills in Mexico that produce feed for shrimp, tilapia, trout and marine fish. Skretting has also achieved multi-site certification for two feed mills in Chile that produce feed for salmon.
‘This is not only a milestone for Vimifos, Skretting and ASC, but pivotal for the whole industry to strengthen the credibility of fed seafood farming now and into the future. Our Feed Standard sets a higher benchmark for feed production. We applaud Vimifos and Skretting for their commitment to venturing into new territory with us – they are the trailblazers and their certification paves the way for the rest of the industry,’ said ASC CEO Chris Ninnes.
‘There is no responsible seafood farming without responsible feed. Companies involved in its production face increased reporting demands to assess the ‘upstream’ environmental and social impacts from feed-ingredient supply chains. By setting strict requirements for the sourcing of all major feed ingredients, ASC addresses environmental and social risks down to raw material level.
Ensuring responsibly sourced feed supports responsible seafood farming and thereby responsible sourcing of seafood products on shelves. With these first certifications, the journey towards more responsibility coming from greater transparency and traceability in feed production has gathered significant momentum.
‘We are extremely proud to be the first salmon feed company in the world to achieve ASC Feed Standard certification,’ commented Skretting CEO Therese Log Bergjord.
‘This is a highly demanding standard that moves in the right direction towards ensuring a positive impact across our supply chain, but we know that the journey doesn’t end here. We’re already implementing the learnings from Chile to accelerate the certification process across the rest of our operations and, with that, ensure that our customers can keep relying on Skretting to maintain their own certifications for fish and shrimp.’
With two further feed companies currently in audit for four sites in Thailand and Ecuador, the programme is gathering strength and increasing in global coverage. This progress shows that ASC is collaborating with a wider sphere of influence to drive positive change in the feed production industry.
As global demand for farmed seafood continues to grow, it is vital that the entire aquaculture supply chain transforms towards more environmental and social responsibility – the Feed Standard is a significant step in the right direction.
