As an industry that utilises by-products to produce food for a growing population, the agricultural sector already has strong sustainable credentials. Every stakeholder has a role to play in further improving agriculture’s position.
As sustainability standards tighten across UK agriculture, the Tesco Sustainable Dairy Group (TSDG) has clarified soya sourcing requirements. From 1 March 2026, all soya used on TSDG dairy farms must comply with a new Gold, Silver, and Bronze hierarchy, and Müller urges suppliers to achieve Gold wherever possible.
Gold is classed as a low risk origin, carrying the lowest likelihood of any link to deforestation. For many dairy farmers, it raises a familiar question: How do we stay compliant without adding cost, confusion, or risk to the business?
Fully Gold Standard as Default
All soya used in the NWF Agriculture compound feed range is sourced exclusively from North America, a region classified as “low risk origin” within the TSDG framework. That places every NWF dairy customer directly into the Gold tier without needing to change a thing.
Our raw material sourcing approach means:
• Our soya meets the low risk origin requirement.
• It qualifies as vDCF under the updated definition.
• We can provide the import paperwork and attribution evidence needed for Müller audits.
A Ruminant-Only Mill for Added Assurance
An often-overlooked area in sustainability discussions is our three UFAS-approved mills. NWF Agriculture operates the only compound mill in the UK dedicated solely to ruminant feed. That might sound like a technicality, but the benefits are significant.
In essence, it means we don’t produce monogastric feeds and therefore don’t bring alternative soya materials into any of our production sites.
This helps with:
1. Zero cross contamination risk from non-compliant soya.
2. A single, consistent soya stream that always meets Gold Standard requirements.
3. Simple, clean evidence for farm assurance visits and Müller’s carbon reporting. In short, NWF feed is traceable, compliant and consistent every time in line with Gold standards.
Helping Farmers Meet Their Sustainability and Contract Obligations
As expectations around sustainable raw materials tighten, we know farmers need feed options that tick the environmental boxes without compromising performance. NWF Gold and Fusion dairy feed ranges have been formulated with that in mind: high quality formulations, competitive pricing, and no complexity when it comes to meeting TSDG sustainability rules.
NWF Gold and Fusion Range is formulated for high performing herds
The NWF Fusion Range is a soya-free and soya-hull-free compound feed range, offering farmers a high-performing compound that meets sustainability criteria. The NWF Gold range is either soyafree or contains North American soya (Gold standard). Paired with its sustainability credentials, it gives TSDG suppliers a reliable route to staying compliant while keeping cows performing at their best.
For further information on the NWF compound feeds, please speak to your local NWF Sales Specialist.