new policy · feed reform enters a new phase
Beijing sets 2030 targets to cut soymeal use and restructure livestock diets
implementation plan for cutting grain usage in the animal husbandry sector
《养殖业节粮行动实施方案》
MARA | 29 Apr 2025
takeaways
targets 7 percent reduction in feed use per kg of livestock product by 2030
lowers grain share of total feed to 60 percent, soymeal to 10 percent (from 13 percent in 2023)
promotes low-protein, amino acid–balanced diets; aims to add 10 million tonnes of non-grain protein capacity
pivots from corn–soy model to pasture- and forage-based systems
bottlenecks
fragmented incentives and weak uptake in prior soymeal-reduction campaigns
microbial and insect proteins remain commercially immature
limited processing capacity for non-mainstream feed inputs
high capital costs for farmers and feed mills to adopt precision nutrition tools
background
Amid intensifying trade friction and global protein constraints, Beijing is pivoting its feed strategy from import substitution to demand-side reform. The 29 April policy package formalises a structural shift away from the corn–soy model, anchoring new targets to a broader push for diversified, lower-protein feed systems.
While GM soy and high-protein corn offer some supply-side relief, the near-term priority is reducing soymeal intensity. The new implementation plan builds on January’s guiding opinions, adding sharper mandates for provincial authorities, research institutions, and feed firms—spelling out how MARA expects 2030 targets to be met.
assessment
The three-track strategy—efficiency, substitution, and structural optimisation— marks not just a definitive shift away from the corn–soy model, but a reframing of soymeal reduction as a macro-risk hedge, not just a nutritional tweak.
MARA’s January press conference on the opinions on cutting grain use in animal husbandry was one of its franker performances.
Officials admitted that earlier soymeal-reduction efforts lacked standardisation and were led primarily by large firms, with limited uptake among smaller producers.
What’s changed is the evidence base.
MARA now cites research showing that widespread adoption of low-protein, amino acid–balanced diets could cut soymeal demand by 20 million tonnes. Microbial and unconventional proteins—including slaughter waste and insect-based feed—could replace a further 14 million tonnes, while expanded high-quality forage could displace another 14 million by substituting for grain.
Cost pressure has sharpened the urgency. Feed costs per head of cattle rose nearly 20 percent between 2019 and 2023. They continued to climb in 2024, despite domestic grain oversupply and surging imports: barley rose 26 percent, sorghum 66 percent, and Brazilian soybeans landed C¥200–300/tonne cheaper than domestic equivalents.
More striking still: ‘indirect costs’— especially short-term loan servicing—jumped more than 830 percent, driven by rising input prices and tight repayment cycles.
Producers are pushing back. At the 2025 Two Sessions, delegates called for longer loan terms, targeted feed subsidies, and price insurance to bolster resilience in the livestock sector.
Imports have only turned up the heat. Margin compression at home is colliding with price deflation from foreign product. The ongoing beef safeguard investigation hints at wider policy unease—a structural reliance on imports at odds with producer viability. That’s a knot for another day.
Still, domestic friction remains. Feed formulation habits are sticky. Uptake won’t accelerate unless tools get cheaper or enforcement tightens. Even top players like New Hope are still testing how to scale microbial protein and high-protein corn. Without deeper fiscal support and firmer demand, the 10 percent soymeal target may remain more signal than shift—for now.
questions
can MARA move amino acid–balanced diets and new proteins beyond pilot zones and top-tier firms?
can feed residues, microbial inputs and forage systems scale fast enough to curb grain reliance?
is the 10 percent soymeal ceiling a genuine structural target—or another cautious signal?
🔗 related policies
opinions on cutting grain usage in the animal husbandry sector
《关于实施养殖业节粮行动的意见》 | MARA | 3 Jan 2025accelerate building an agricultural strong country plan (2024–2035)
《加快建设农业强国规划（2024－2035年）》 | State Council, CPC Central Committee | 7 Apr 2025national ag sci-tech innovation key areas (2024-2028)
《全国农业科技创新重点领域（2024–2028年）》 | MARA | 14 Feb 2025technical guidelines on reducing losses in raw grain transport
《原粮运输减损技术指导意见》 | NFSRA | 27 Dec 2024action plan to reduce food loss and waste
《粮食节约和反食品浪费行动方案》 | State Council | 25 Nov 2024opinions on promoting high-quality development of the forage industry
《关于推动饲草产业高质量发展的意见》 | NDRC, MARA, NAFG | 13 Nov 2024