Vision and ambition
The harmonious and innovative development of organic farming
A specialist in organic farming for nearly 50 years, the Union Française d’Agriculture Biologique (UFAB) encourages an enterprising spirit to serve modern agriculture whilst respecting mankind and nature. Our approach is supported by a policy of continual investment in order to help people and the region. Backed up by teams that are always improving in their ability to face farming’s challenges of increasing effectiveness, and modernising our industrial tools in order to reinforce our position, whilst diversifying our activities particularly in favour of food…are our hallmarks.
We have a very strict policy concerning transparency, traceability and quality, guaranteeing that our products are 100% organic.
UFAB and Le Gouessant has the ability to take on numerous trials of varietal selection, livestock and crop production techniques, new equipment… and therefore feeding our initiatives for progress.
Ecology is anchored in our daily life and the question of environmental impact is asked at every level of the company: putting sustainable farming practices into place, choosing equipment with low energy requirements, reduction and making use of waste….
UFAB is a motor in the organic sector, and is committed to, alongside its partners (Synabio, Coop de France…), the harmonious development of organic activity.
A precursor and leader in French organic agriculture, UFAB is a key player. Our ambition is to ensure the development of the organic sector by helping a modern and durable agriculture to prosper, where animal and crop production are balanced, for regional cohesion and meeting societal expectations.
Our History
1972: Creation of the Union Française d’Agriculture Biologique
Created in 1972, the Union Française d’Agriculture Biologique is a historic business in the French organic movement. Passionate about nature, the founding members of UFAB believed in an agriculture that respected the environment. Going against the ideas of the time, they created a small company at, Châteaubriant (44) whose aim was to supply farmers with natural products for improving their soils, caring for their plants and their animals.
1980: The law for agricultural orientation
France officially recognised organic agriculture. This public initiative provided a foothold for organic agriculture nationally and was the moment for UFAB to spread its network of distributors throughout the region.
1997: Acquisition of UFAB by the LE GOUESSANT Co-Operative Group
As our organic livestock feed manufacturing business developed, we decided to leave the business to a specialist in animal nutrition that already worked in Organic Agriculture, and with whom we shared the same values and virtues : the Le Gouessant Co-Operative
2001: Purchase of an organic feed mill at Noyal-sur-Vilaine (35)
Le Gouessant brought its knowledge of animal nutrition, client control, development of balanced livestock rations, logistical efficiency…. to this small company. This has enabled UFAB to dramatically develop its business. It’s feed mill for livestock feeds at Domalain (35) quickly became too small. UFAB implanted itself at Noyal-sur-Vilaine (35) in a feed mill that is dedicated to the production of organic livestock feeds.
2011: Construction of an organic oil production plant at Craon (53)
In order to transform the proteins that the organic livestock in the region needed, locally, UFAB acquired a small oilseed crushing plant at Craon (53) and turned it into an organic oilseed crushing plant.
This new activity is a natural extension to UFAB’s core business, as we transform oilseeds to obtain meal that we then use in our livestock feeds.
Having been filtered, the oils obtained are marketed for human consumption or animal feed.
2016: Heat treatment of livestock feeds and the creation of a protein section
The tower for heat treatment was built in 2016, and further reinforces the level of food safety in our feeds. Now all our meals, crumbs, and granules are subjected to heat treatment.
Equally, UFAB has invested in micro-dosage cells enabling more precise dosing of ingredients whilst reducing the loads that need to be handled by the mill’s work force.
2019: A new silo for the collection of organic produce was opened at Châteaubourg (35)
In order to guarantee the supply of raw materials for its organic feed mill at Noyal-sur-Vilaine, UFAB invested in a new silo at Châteaubourg. Beyond the cereals and forage proteins already collected by UFAB, the 20 storage bins on the site enable the outlets for the organic farmer suppliers to be diversified: sarrasin, milling wheat, malting barley, oat flakes, oilseed rape…
This investment programme was supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (FEADER) and also by the Brittany region.
2020-2022: Extension of the mills at Noyal-sur-Vilaine and Craon
The traditional partner of French organic livestock and arable producers, UFAB continues to accompany its farmers, as it always has done by making the equipment that is necessary for their development available.
We have recently started two new investment projects in order to increase the production capacity of our mills at Noyal-sur-Vilaine and Craon.
2022: Construction of the new organic ingredients factory at Noyal-sur-Vilaine
In a booming textured vegetable protein market, UFAB aims to process 3,500 tonnes of peas and fava beans within five years. To achieve this, we have moved our concentration unit to Noyal-sur-Vilaine and set up our own texturing equipment.
Our territory
Local Roots
At UFAB, we believe in the future of our regions and we are convinced that organic production is intrinsically linked to local identity. Faithful to our values, we are resolutely committed to supporting the region, making the most of the regional knowledge and the long-term support of discussions between producers, consumers and stakeholders. With this philosophy and using our local roots, we offer you the opportunity to do business differently.
Our plants and silos are located in the Great West region of France. Our team covers Brittany, the “Pays de la Loire” region and Normandy. If you would like to get in touch with one of our technical advisor, please contact Angélique Tourtelier on 06 07 41 21 04 or angelique.tourtelier[at]ufab-bio.fr
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Fermer la fenêtre Industrial siteOrganic food factoryRue de la Gaudinière, 35000 Noyal sur Vilaine
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Fermer la fenêtre Industrial and collection siteCollection depot, oil mill and concentration of biological proteinsChemin du Verger, 53400 Craon
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Fermer la fenêtre Collection siteOrganic collection siloZ.A. de la Basse-Haye, 35220 Châteaubourg
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Fermer la fenêtre Collection siteOrganic collection siloLe Bourg, 22130 Bourseul
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Fermer la fenêtre Collection siteBiological collection platform5 Zone Artisanale, 22260 Ploëzal
At UFAB we are convinced that large scale organic cropping is both possible and desirable. Since our creation in 1972, we have not ceased to grow, to innovate, and to develop towards large scale agriculture.
