Alignment of DCF methodology for soy

Member/implementing partners:

• Proforest

• AFi

• Trase

Aligned industry methodologies ensure we have a shared approach and ambition to reach our forest positive goals. The Coalition’s Soy Working Group, in collaboration with Proforest, Trase and members of the AFi secretariat, and in dialogue with SCF, has been working to develop a methodology for classifying direct soy as deforestation and conversion-free (DCF). We consulted 20+ stakeholders including FEFAC and the UK Soy Manifesto. 

In March 2023, the guidance on the Forest Positive Soy Roadmap was published. The recommended methodology sets out three implementation options for defining soy as DCF; it must be either:

1. Traceable to a monitored farm that had no recent conversion to soy
2. Certified to a DCF standard which ensures segregation or site-level mass balance, or
3. Traceable to origins of negligible risk

This was complemented with a member webinar to support implementation of the methodology in April 2023.           

The approach is aligned with other industry methodologies, such as that of the French National Platform for Combating Imported Deforestation (SNDI). Cross-industry alignment reduces the burden of reporting for downstream companies but, more importantly, simplifies what is asked of upstream companies since there is consensus on the approach. For example, in November 2022, the AIC Soy Supply Group and UK Soy Manifesto aligned on the definition of verified DCF soy and how existing evidence can be used to demonstrate compliance.

Looking ahead, the Coalition is currently working to adapt the soy DCF methodology specifically for embedded soy, with the goal of having a clear embedded soy DCF approach by the end of 2023 that can be used to onboard suppliers and engage with feed manufacturers.