Relentless summer heatwaves across Western, Southern, and Eastern Europe have severely damaged forage reserves and summer crops, triggering an acute feed supply deficit. The European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC) warns that the block's maize import needs could surge past 26 million tons, urging Brussels to enact emergency crisis mitigation measures and suspend pending regulatory hurdles to avert widespread supply disruptions.
National feed industry associations across the European Union have confirmed severe operational impacts resulting from prolonged heatwaves during the current growing season. According to an initial impact assessment released by FEFAC, high temperatures and water deficits have decimated pastures and forage crops across Central, Southern, and North-Western Europe. The findings mirror recent warnings from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC MARS) and EU agricultural umbrella group Copa-Cogeca, painting a grim outlook for the 2026/27 marketing year.
The most critical impact is being felt in the ruminant sector. A widespread shortage of roughage and summer silage has forced livestock farmers to consume winter feed stocks prematurely, drastically increasing feed insecurity heading into the autumn. FEFAC experts emphasize that the projected drop in European maize production affecting both silage availability and grain yield will further intensify market tightness. The federation notes that the current drought is deteriorating faster than the historic heatwave of 2018, demanding immediate and coordinated EU-level contingency interventions.
RISING IMPORT REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATORY HEADWINDS
To bridge the structural deficit, FEFAC market analysts estimate that the EU will require an additional 7 million tons of imported maize, driving total seasonal import volume estimates above 26 million tons. The deficit will necessitate diversified sourcing, primarily from Ukraine, the United States, and Brazil.
Compounding the problem, the shortfall in domestic forage is worsening the EU’s overall feed protein deficit. FEFAC projects heightened reliance on imported soy products, warning that strict compliance requirements under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) could add more than €1 billion in direct feed sourcing costs by 2027. Furthermore, the scheduled December 2026 implementation of EUDR restrictions on Palm Kernel Expeller (PKE), a crucial alternative fiber source for ruminants, threatens to cut off roughly 2 million tons of annual imports, further squeezing compound feed formulators.
FEFAC CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE REGULATORY DEROGATIONS
To ensure continuous feed supplies and protect animal welfare during heat stress, FEFAC is calling on European authorities to deploy the full suite of crisis mitigation tools utilized during the 2022 energy and trade disruptions. Key short-term recommendations include:
- Unrestricted Grain Transit: Guaranteeing open transit corridors and unhindered market access for Ukrainian feed grains.
- Flexibility on Residue Limits: Implementing temporary national risk-based Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for imported feed grains, subject to EFSA safety evaluation.
- EUDR Enforcement Relief: Postponing EUDR enforcement for Palm Kernel Expeller and simplifying compliance protocols for soy products to prevent market lockouts.
- Transport Logistics Relief: Raising cross-border feed truck weight limits to 44 tons and relaxing driving hour restrictions to bypass low water levels on major inland waterways.
Over the medium to long term, FEFAC advocates for targeted investments under the European Competitiveness Fund to upgrade regional transport infrastructure, speed up approvals for drought-tolerant crops using New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), and broaden the Food and Feed Safety Omnibus framework to incorporate safe, circular alternative ingredients.