EU Launched Research to Replace Imported Protein Feed
Agricultural operators should track new regional legume supply chains as the industry moves to reduce reliance on imported soy.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Agriculture
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In September 2026, the European Union launched the €5.5 million PROCEED project to test domestic grain and forage legume alternatives for animal feed. This initiative seeks to mitigate exposure to international trade and climate-related supply shocks.
Why it matters
The project addresses significant input cost and supply chain risks for European livestock operations, which currently rely on imports for 25% of their feed protein. By focusing on legumes that fix soil nitrogen, the initiative aims to reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers and volatile global markets.
The PROCEED project secured €5.5 million in funding to coordinate 20 partners across 12 countries and the U.K. It aims to develop 11 regional Practice Hubs to replace current imported protein sources, which currently account for 25% of all crude protein used in EU animal feed.
The players
European Union
A political and economic union of member states that coordinates regional agricultural policies and research funding programs.
James Hutton Institute
A research organization specializing in land, crop, and environmental sciences that is leading the establishment of regional practice hubs.
The details
The project connects farmers, processors, and feed businesses through regional hubs to pilot production approaches under real-world farming conditions. By testing grain and forage legumes as alternatives to soy, researchers aim to optimize local supply chains and integrate nitrogen-fixing crops into standard feed production. This mechanism is designed to insulate livestock operations from the price volatility and supply disruptions common in global soybean trade.
Timeline
The PROCEED project began operations in September 2026.
The initiative is scheduled to run for five years.
Market Landscape
The PROCEED project operates within the broader framework of the European Union's Horizon Europe programme, which funds multi-national research to solve systemic industrial challenges. This initiative follows a documented trend of European agricultural policy shifting toward greater localized protein production to offset the risks of international feed market volatility.
Operators in the livestock and feed sectors should monitor the findings from the 11 regional Practice Hubs to identify emerging alternatives to imported soy. Evaluating the inclusion of legume-based feeds now may provide a hedge against future price volatility and fertilizer input cost inflation.
The takeaway
Reducing reliance on imported soy through domestic legumes represents a long-term strategic pivot for feed-dependent businesses. Operators should track the five-year performance data from the PROCEED project to determine when domestic grain-legume supply chains reach commercial viability.
Further reading
Learn more about shifting production models in the Agriculture section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Seed World.
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