Soy is a protein-rich crop with a relatively small environmental footprint when consumed directly by humans in foods like tofu or soy milk. However, the vast majority of soy grown today is used to feed farmed animals. Because raising animals for meat is inherently inefficient – requiring large amounts of feed to produce relatively small amounts of food – enormous quantities of soy are consumed by farmed animals. This heavy demand driven by animal agriculture contributes significantly to environmental degradation.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the key facts about soy and the environment?
About 76% of global soy is used as animal feed, not eaten directly by people (around 90% in the USA). Most soy-driven deforestation is linked to animal agriculture, not to foods like tofu and soy milk. Eaten directly, tofu produces up to 96% lower emissions, 93% less water use and 99% less land use than beef. The average European consumes roughly 60kg of soy per year, mostly indirectly through animal products.
Is soy bad for the environment and does it cause deforestation?
Eaten directly by people, soy has a relatively small footprint — tofu produces up to 96% lower emissions, 93% less water use and 99% less land use than beef. Most soy-driven deforestation is instead linked to animal agriculture, because 76% of the world’s soy is grown to feed farmed animals, not for direct human consumption.
How much of the world’s soy is fed to farmed animals rather than eaten by people?
About 76% of global soy is used as animal feed rather than eaten directly by humans; in the USA the figure is around 90%. Only a small share is used for foods like tofu and soy milk. The average European consumes roughly 60kg of soy per year, mostly indirectly through animal products.