The ASC's new Aquaculture Feed Standard promotes environmental and social responsibility associated with feed production for the aquaculture industry.
ASC / SCS Global Services.
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has announced that Thai Union has achieved the ASC Feed Standard certification for its Mahachai Plant in Thailand, becoming the first ASC Feed Standard certification in Asia.
Thai Union's feed mill produces feed for seabass, seabream, meager, tilapia, and shrimp under ASC Feed Standard’s rigid environmental and social requirements. For several months, Control Union was the independent certifier.
ASC CEO Chris Ninnes expressed how important is that Thai Union has joined the Feed Programme: "Their certification – the first feed mill certified in Asia – is another landmark moment of progress for ASC's Feed Standard as it represents the growing global spread of more environmentally and socially responsible feed production"
"With Asia being a particular global hotspot for shrimp farming, ensuring ASC-compliant feed is accessible in the region is a significant step forward in promoting and enabling more responsible shrimp farming practices," he added.
Additionally, Peerasak Boonmechote, CEO of Thai Union Feedmill, indicated: "Securing the first ASC Feed certificate in Asia underscores our deep commitment to sustainability at the heart of our operations. This is a key step in increasing the availability of responsible feed as part of Thai Union Group’s commitments under its global sustainability strategy, SeaChange® 2030."
Furthermore, ASC has just announced another incentive; all the feed mills that obtained the certification in 2024 will not have to pay license fees on the volume of compliant feed they produce this calendar year.
In 2023, ASC and Thai Union collaborated on an 'Aquaculture Improvement Project' for shrimp. Also, Thai Union is one of ASC’s first partners to implement AIPs for a total volume of 15,700 metric tonnes of shrimp by 2026.
Finally, ASC has confirmed that farms have until October 2025 to switch to sourcing compliant feed produced under the ASC Feed Standard. Sites from Vimifos Mexico and Skretting Chile achieved the same certification earlier this year.