GFLI - Global Feed LCA database
Global metrics for sustainable feed
The GFLI - the Global Feed LCA Institute - is an independent animal nutrition and food industry institute with the purpose of developing an Animal Nutrition Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) database. This database contains high quality datasets for feed ingredients. The database has been developed by Blonk in conjunction with the Agri-footprint database 6.2.1 (LCA food database) and in accordance with the GFLI methodology. The GFLI database is the main international source of LCA information on animal feed production and contribute to making the sector more sustainable.
The GFLI database contains environmental impact data of raw feed materials, available from different geographical areas. Included are regional, sectoral and branded data. Regional data is primarily based on our LCA database Agri-footprint. Sectoral and branded data are being added at every update, continuously improving and expanding the database to stimulate continuous improvement of the environmental performance in the feed industry.
The specifics
Specific for the animal (feed) industry
Main international source of LCA information on animal feed production.
Cradle to farm gate
Included are the environmental impacts from the start of the lifecycle until they leave the farm.
Aligned to global standards
The methodology is based on:
• LEAP feed guidelines 2015
• Feed PEFCR 2018
• Feed PEF database methodology 2017
• IPCC ‘Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories’ (2019)
Regional, sectoral and branded data
A total of 1.819 main feed ingredients is included, from regional, sectoral as well as branded sources.
What's inside the GFLI database?
The database of September 2023 (the most recent version) contains environmental impact information of 1.830 main feed ingredients. The list of deliverables is condensed by excluding the start materials, co-products, intermediate products and materials that are not relevant for feed application.
The latest update of the database contains data on amongst others US processed feed products and Brazilian cultivation data of feed products.
Sources of the GFLI database
The GFLI 2.1 database consists of 1830 feed ingredients and wet products originating from 11 different sources:
GFLI Brazil, GFLI Canada, EAPA, EFPRA, VIDO, UKFFPRA, AFP 6.3, GFLI Group totals, AFP additional, USDA, Nevedi, BFAN
The following allocation options are available:
- Economic allocation
- Gross energy allocation
- Mass allocation
LCIA results of Brazilian higher tier data
The GFLI-Brazil project produced more precise, higher quality (“higher tier”) data on three Brazilian crops (corn, soybean, sugarcane) and three processed products (soybean meal, crude soybean oil, sugarcane molasses). These datasets are presented in a separate document to avoid confusion with Brazil data calculated using the baseline GFLI methodology. It is calculated based on the collection of more precise data and using an improved (region-specific) methodology, resulting in datasets of higher quality than the Brazil datasets calculated using the baseline GFLI methodology.
Given the use of different methodologies, the higher tier GFLI-Brazil and baseline Brazil baseline datasets cannot be easily compared and an oversimplified attempt to do so would lead to confusion/misinterpretations. The download file includes a document with details on its alternative modelling compared to the GFLI methodology.
Access to the GFLI database
For each type of allocation two types of databases are available: the LCA impact assessment data (Excel format) and the LCI (system processes) data (CSV format).
LCA Impact assessment data
LCI impact results (Excel format): environmental impact results of all 962 deliverables for all three allocations according to the ReCiPe Midpoint Hierarchy method. This method includes the following impact indicators: Global warming (Including LUC); Global warming (excluding LUC); Stratospheric ozone depletion; Ionizing radiation; Ozone formation, Human health; Fine particulate matter formation; Terrestrial acidification; Freshwater eutrophication; Terrestrial ecotoxicity; Freshwater ecotoxicity; Marine ecotoxicity; Human carcinogenic toxicity; Human non-carcinogenic toxicity; Land use; Mineral resource scarcity; Fossil resource scarcity; Water consumption.
LCI System Process data
The Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) system process data is available in CSV format. LCI system process data are (aggregated) system process data that can be imported into SimaPro or other LCA software for further analysis.
The free version
Before October 2023 the database was free for individual users.
Paid model
From November 2023 the three different levels of the GFLI database (impact assessment, lifecycle inventory, and unit process level) are available for purchase. The shift from free access towards a paid model is due to the new legal obligations the GFLI has for using improved background data, necessitating the GFLI to account for the number of database users.
Questions?
Get in touch
Megan Jasson
Please get in touch with Megan if you would like to learn more about the GFLI database and its applications.