Product
Every day, we seek to improve the aqua feeds we sell. That includes enhancing the sustainability of our existing feed ingredients while also working to unlock a range of new products and services. In all cases, we aim to deliver greater positive impact to our customers so they can improve fish health, welfare, and performance while reducing negative environmental impact.
At Cargill, we are proud to develop high-performing, more sustainable aqua feed solutions that make a tangible difference for our customers. Through collaboration and innovation, we are helping to build a thriving, responsible aquaculture sector that benefits both people and the planet.
Product highlights from 2024
A ready supply of more sustainable marine ingredients
With time-bound commitments to achieve third-party seafood certifications and mechanisms to verify progress along the way, Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) help fisheries transition to more sustainable and responsible practices. Our engagement with FIPs helps reduce overfishing and ensure that there will be a steady supply of more sustainably produced marine ingredients for our feeds.
In 2024, we celebrated the launch of a new FIP off the coast of Chile, which was registered with FisheryProgress. Additionally, after supporting the development of a new FIP off the coast of Oman for a few years, we were pleased in early 2025 to see this FIP approved for registration with the MarinTrust IP program.
Here are the latest progress updates on the FIPs we support:
| Ecuador | ||
| Peru |
Expanding the reach and impact of FIPs
FIPs bring together multiple stakeholders in the value chain through a coordinated local action plan to restore the health of fisheries and make them more sustainable. In 2023, the Fisheries Improvement Fund (FIF) was established by Finance Earth, in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund, to provide an innovative new financing mechanism for FIPs. In 2024, Cargill provided a $412,000 grant to the FIF to drive progress at pace and strengthen the enabling environment for FIPs and fishery improvements more broadly in India, China, and Japan. The goal of the 18-month project is to culminate in the launch of new FIPs in at least two locations.
Using data to better treat sea lice
Our research capabilities allow us to develop products that help raise efficiency and performance for our customers’ farms. They also enable us to work with customers to uncover important new research for fish health overall. For example, in 2024 we shared results from a multi-year project with Norwegian fish farmer Hofseth and data analysis company Manolin into data-driven delousing strategies. By performing an in-depth analysis of Hofseth’s production sites, we were able to determine which combinations of treatments worked best in various conditions – reducing lice pressure while minimizing tradeoffs in fish performance or other factors.
“In Hofseth, we are responsible and accountable for ensuring the health and welfare of our fish. This project shows that better decisions can be made from analyzing structured data in order to improve our sea lice management.”
Sven Amund Skotheim,
Fish health manager of Hofseth Aqua
Partnering for impact with Regal Springs Indonesia
We partner and work closely with our customers to support them in achieving their sustainability goals. In Indonesia, the aqua feed we are supplying to tilapia fish producer Regal Springs Indonesia is a great example of this partnership approach. The palm oil ingredient in our aqua feeds supplied to Regal Springs Indonesia is certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). In addition, we use fishmeal and fish oil certified by The Marine Ingredients Organisation (IFFO) to ensure the marine ingredients in the feeds used by Regal Springs Indonesia pose minimal risk to the environment. The carbon footprint measured for all our feeds has helped Regal Springs Indonesia calculate their own carbon footprint in pursuit of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
Product data for 2024
*Our designation of ingredients as co-products follows the guidance of the European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (https://fefac.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/05362_co-products_brochure_003.pdf)
**Novel ingredients are defined as ingredients introduced to the formulation from 2015 onwards
***Note: Countries supplying less than 1% of the category total are not listed, except for soy proteins, soy oil, and palm oil, where all origins are listed.
The table reflects the different nutritional requirements between coldwater and warmwater species in the varying raw material compositions. Overall, marine ingredients remained important during 2024 with similar inclusion rates as in 2023. There was less market interest in novel ingredients, which led to a slight decrease in their inclusion compared to 2023. Soy and soy derivates remain the single biggest individual plant protein, especially in warmwater feeds. Co-products made up more than 46% of our coldwater feeds and 68% of warmwater feeds, demonstrating how circularity remains an important aspect of our sourcing strategy.
All species <1% of the total or otherwise not identified will be consolidated into the "Miscellaneous species" category. All countries of origin for all species are listed.
Marine ingredient indices calculations:
MPDR feed = (total fishmeal% * 68%) / 17.5%
MODR feed = (total fish oil% + (total fishmeal% * 8%))/ 17.5%
MPDR fish = (total fishmeal%)* 68% * eFCR / 17.5%
MODR fish = (total fish oil% + (total fishmeal% * 8%)) * eFCR / 17.5%
FFDRm feed (coldwater) = (forage fishmeal in feed %) / 24% c
FFDRm feed (warmwater) = (forage fishmeal in feed % ) / 22.2% d
FFDRo feed = (forage fish oil in feed %) / 5% e
FFDRm (coldwater) = (forage fishmeal in feed % * eFCR) / 24% c
FFDRm (warmwater) = (forage fishmeal in feed % * eFCR) / 22.2% d
FFDRo = (forage fish oil in feed % * eFCR) / 5% e
FFIF = (forage fishmeal% + forage fish oil%) / (yield of fishmeal + yield of fish oil)
FIFO = (forage fishmeal% + forage fish oil%) * eFCR / (yield of fishmeal + yield of fish oil)
a Estimated average global eFCR for salmonids based on in-house data, MOWI Salmon Farming Industry Handbook (2023), Tacon et al. (2022), and Seafood Watch farmed salmon assessments (2021).
b Estimated average global eFCR for warmwater species based on in-house data, Tacon et al. (2022), and value for P. vannamei in the ASC Shrimp Standard v1.1 (2019)
c Estimated average fishmeal yield based on Péron et al. (2010) and its use in the ASC Salmon Standard v1.3 (2019). Actual FFDRm can be considerably lower if actual oil yields are applied for each species used.
d Estimated average fishmeal yield based on the ASC Shrimp Standard v1.1 (2019). Actual FFDRm can be considerably lower if actual oil yields are applied for each species used.
e Estimated average fish oil yield based on ASC’s allowance for 5% or 7% oil yields depending on the source of the oil, but to be conservative in this report, the lower yield has been used in this calculation. Actual FFDRo can be considerably lower if actual oil yields are applied for each species used.
The Marine Protein Dependency Ratio (MPDR) feed increased slightly, which can be explained by a higher fish meal inclusion rate compared to 2023. The Marine Oil Dependency Ratio (MODR) feed decreased slightly in coldwater feed compared to the previous year due to a lower fish oil inclusion rate. The FFDRm in coldwater remained unchanged other than a slightly higher inclusion rate of fish meal compared to 2023 as a result of greater use of trimming meals. A reduction in FFDRo can be explained by a reduced inclusion rate of fish oil. The FIFO in our coldwater feeds declined from 0.78 in 2023 to 0.74 in 2024. In warmwater feeds, both the FFDR meal and oil declined compared to 2023. This can be explained by a lower fish meal(fm) and fish oil(fo) inclusion rate and a higher proportion of fm/fo originating from trimmings. As a result, the FIFO warmwater dropped from 0.19 in 2023 to 0.12 in 2024.
This year, an increasing focus on health and welfare drove a corresponding rise in functional feed sales. The increase was significantly higher in coldwater feeds, with more than 25% compared to just 6.67% in warmwater feeds. Sea lice remain a challenge for salmon farmers, especially in Chile and Norway, which led to a marginal increase in the use of anti-parasitic feeds. In Scotland, meanwhile, there was a decrease in sales of anti-parasitic feed during 2024. Other pathogens proved to be challenging in Chile as well, which is reflected in the year-on-year increase in sales of feed including antibiotics, although sales there were still 14% less than in 2017. The large percentage increase in Scotland compared to 2017 is due to a very low baseline volume.
* n/a indicates no use of soy or palm oil products in 2024 by this business group
**Organic third-party certifications are Soil association and Naturland
***US Soy Export Council - US Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol. SSAP is recognized according to FEFAC's soy-sourcing guidelines (and therefore also accepted by Cargill).
In coldwater feeds, we achieved a reduction in uncertified marine ingredients of more than 4% compared to 2023. This was due to good availability of blue whiting - Micromesistius poutassou from forage and herring (Atlantic herring) - Clupea harengus from trimmings. In warmwater feeds, we were also able to improve our sourcing of certified marine ingredients, including certified tuna trimmings as the skipjack and yellowfin tuna fisheries had a good season. Norway, Scotland Canada and Chile sourced 100% certified soy products. No palm oil was used in any coldwater feed in 2024.
a Some countries have more than one facility and not all facilities are certified to the same level within a country.
b Scotland is certified by UFAS, which is recognized as equivalent to Global GAP.
