EU Funds PROFEED to Localize Animal Feed Protein
A €5.5 million Horizon Europe project led by the University of Leeds aims to develop locally sourced plant protein alternatives for livestock feed.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Agriculture
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Should Europe reduce its reliance on imported animal feed by growing more locally?
The European Commission has launched PROFEED, a project with almost €5.5 million in Horizon Europe funding, to develop sustainable locally sourced plant protein alternatives for animal feed. The project brings together 15 partners from eight European countries and is led by the University of Leeds.
Why it matters
Almost 96% of the high-protein feed used in Europe is imported, leaving local farming exposed to supply chain disruptions, fluctuating prices and environmental pressure. PROFEED seeks to reduce that dependence by identifying crops that can be grown regionally.
The project will screen more than 130 soyabean, lupin and alfalfa accessions under controlled conditions before field testing across European climatic regions. Results of these trials have not yet been published.
The players
University of Leeds
A public research university in England that leads the PROFEED consortium and coordinates its partners across eight European countries.
Horizon Europe
The European Union's research and innovation funding programme, which provided the funding for the PROFEED project.
The details
Candidate plant varieties will first be screened under current and future climate scenarios, then tested on farms across different European regions. The project includes 40 farmers, 10 lighthouse sites and four communities of practice, and will produce an open-access digital platform.
Timeline
October 2026: PROFEED project begins.
September 2030: PROFEED project scheduled to end.
Market Landscape
PROFEED is funded under the EU's Horizon Europe programme and extends its agricultural research agenda to the problem of imported protein feed. It positions Europe to reduce reliance on soy and other protein crops sourced from Argentina, the USA, Canada and Brazil.
Farmers and feed buyers across Europe may eventually see more locally sourced protein options if PROFEED's screening and field trials succeed. The project's timeline runs to September 2030, so near-term changes to feed prices or availability are unlikely.
The takeaway
Reducing dependence on imported protein feed would make European livestock production less exposed to global supply shocks. Watch for PROFEED's trial results as an early indicator of which local crops can compete.
Further reading
Explore more Agriculture coverage to see how farm input supply chains are shifting across markets.
Live Poll
Should Europe reduce its reliance on imported animal feed by growing more locally?
