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Did you know that almost 75% of the world’s soybean crop is fed to livestock? 

Why soy?

Soy plays a crucial role in global food security, offering a vital source of vegetable protein and essential ingredients for animal feed. Additionally, it is important for biofuel production. However, soy production is a leading cause of deforestation, which contributes significantly to climate change.

Soy remains a key focus in our agricultural and environmental efforts. Proper management with new technologies and concepts like regenerative agriculture can effectively address climate change while increasing productivity, protecting the environmental values, and enhancing the well-being of communities.

Global food security: Soybeans are a significant source of protein, with over 336 million metric tonnes produced globally in 2020.
Animal feed ingredient: Approximately 75% of global soy production is used in animal feed, which is crucial for supporting livestock industries.
Biofuel production: About 70% of biodiesel in the world is produced from vegetable oils, with soybean oil being the second most widely used vegetable oil in the biodiesel industry. (Food and Agriculture Organization – FAO)
Environmental challenges: Soy farming is heavily linked to deforestation in the biggest producing countries, accounting for about 2% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable practices.

What are the challenges?

Soy cultivation, while vital for food security and biofuel production, faces significant challenges. These include environmental impacts like deforestation, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas, leading to substantial biodiversity loss. The expansion of soy farming also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and often results in social and economic issues for local communities, including land conflicts and displacement of small-scale farmers.

soy

BREAKING: New EU law on deforestation – hope for forests, a game changer for companies

The EU finally reached an agreement today on a new historic law to prevent companies from selling commodities linked with deforestation and forest degradation around the world on the EU market. The new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) sets ambitious rules to halt global deforestation and forest degradation through innovative and co...

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30 years of impact

Creating sustainable impact is at the heart of our mission. Read why and how we do it here.

People

850,000+

farmers, workers and land managers are assured that their well-being, human rights and cultural heritage are protected.

Nature

32.6 million

hectares of land where nature and environment are protected from degradation and conversion through use of sustainability standards.

Climate

32,000+

tonnes of CO2 emissions have been reduced, thus lowering the climate impact.

Why Soy?

Meet our experts

Our goal to foster lasting, positive transformations in key agricultural and forestry products around the world is guided by seasoned professionals. These experts bring a wealth of practical knowledge from their extensive time in the field and their involvement with international supply networks. Hear their perspectives on the obstacles and opportunities for progress in their respective fields.

Ariel Zorrilla

Director of Brazil

azorrilla@preferredbynature.org
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Other

Our mission extends beyond these focus areas to any crop or product with potential for sustainable impact. We support conservation and ecosystem restoration projects worldwide and help businesses adapt to changing regulations.

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We work with businesses on all aspects of their sustainability journey

Certification

Strengthen your organisation’s commitment to sustainability, showcasing impactful business transformations.

Tailored services

With over 30 years of experience in sustainability, our experts can support you in enhancing your sustainability journey.

Expert courses

Engage in impactful training experiences through our programmes, project-specific sessions, or bespoke courses upon request.
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Do you want to support our efforts to create a better world?

Small steps lead to a big change and all contributions are valuable.

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