AIC at 20: Saving £110,000 of cost on every UK animal feed production line
As AIC marks 20 years as the UK agri-supply industry’s leading trade association, we're looking back at some of its greatest achievements since it was founded in 2003.
Each week throughout 2023, we’ll explore a major achievement where AIC represented its Member businesses, promoted the benefits of modern commercial agriculture in the UK, and supported collaboration throughout the food chain.
Find out how AIC lobbied the European Commission on legislation which threatened to burden UK animal feed manufacturing businesses with unnecessary costs.
Dust risks
AIC represents more than 90% of UK animal feed businesses, including mills which use raw materials such as grains and oilseeds, former foodstuffs and co-products to produce nutritional feeds for livestock.
As part of the milling process, dust is produced and this needs to be controlled and extracted to protect the health and safety of employees.
There are many systems and methods for controlling and extracting dust in a feed mill, however in 2015 the European Commission's Industrial Emissions Directive guidance did not recognise cyclones as a "Best Available Technique" for dust control.
Find out more on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.
Compelling case
With the threat of EU member states having to strictly implement the legislation following a grace period, AIC acted to represent and protect the interests of its animal feed manufacturing Members by lobbying the Commission.
By collecting and collating dust emissions data from Members’ feedmills, AIC made a strong, evidence-based case to the Commission that cyclones are fit for purpose in animal feed production plants.
With representation on the technical group supporting the UK delegation, AIC was recognised for its part in providing evidence and expertise.
By successfully justifying that there should be separate "Best Available Techniques" for feedmills, AIC helped its Members and the wider European animal feed industry retain the necessary options and controls for feedmill processes.
This avoided the need for retrofitting or refitting feedmills with alternative systems which would have cost businesses an estimated £110,000 on average, maintaining Members' competitiveness.
The work of AIC encompasses three guiding pillars - Productivity, Environment and Competitiveness - delivering for sustainability and contributing to the circular economy. Find out more here.
Find out more about the animal feed sector by watching the video below.
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Visit the AIC at 20 webpage for more content like this.
Authors
Oli Hill
As Communications Manager, Oli creates and oversees the content published on AIC's website, emails, Member briefings, print publications, and social media.
