Microalgae fields could replace controversial soy imports

Danish-produced microalgae might be a new solution for the substantial and harmful soybean feed imports from South America, as per a project by the Danish Technological Institute. The first harvest of microalgae, cultivated in 90-meter-long plastic tubes using carbon dioxide from a biogas plant, has taken place in Brande, Central Denmark. Microalgae, noted as one of the top ten breakthrough technologies by the World Economic Forum, can produce about 20 times more protein per hectare than soy, of comparable quality. The CO2 fueling the algae comes from chicken manure and vegetable waste at a biogas plant owned by one of Denmark’s largest organic egg and vegetable producers, Axel Månsson, who supports the move for more climate-friendly feed alternatives. Most of Denmark’s import of soybean meal for livestock comes from Brazil and Argentina, where production is linked to increasing deforestation.