Total European Union protein crop production currently occupies only 3% of the Union’s arable land and supplies only 30% of the protein crops consumed as animal feed in the EU. Almost 70% of the EU’s protein rich feeds are imported, and for soybean meal this figure is over 97%. The Focus Group on Protein Crops of the European Innovation Partnership, which addressed the challenge of improving the profitability of protein crops in Europe, suggested alternatives to soybean meal should meet three requirements in order to be or become an option for the animal feed industry. Firstly, the protein content should be high. Secondly, the protein quality should be high: good digestibility of amino acids and amino acid profile. And lastly, the price level should be low.
Due to their high protein content, the EU has promoted the production of field peas (Pisum sativum). Data reported by Eurostat (2012) showed field peas were planted in 520,000 ha, field and broad beans in 460,000 ha, and lupins in 84,000 ha. One the advantages of reducing the protein deficit in the EU is in the context of climate change. The European Parliament (2011) states that “the production of protein crops can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the assimilation and fixation of nitrogen in the soil (amounting to up to 100 kg nitrogen/ha per month) and the consequent reduction in the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, which contains nitrous oxide, with warming potential being 310 times higher than that of carbon dioxide”.
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