IFEEDER Fodder

Earlier in my career, as a contractor, I attended a transportation company meeting. Agenda item one was to participate in a safety briefing, where we learned where the exits were, any hazards we could encounter and what to do in an emergency. This impressed upon me that this company’s culture prioritized safety for its customers and workers. 

We all seek to be good stewards and know firsthand that agriculture is inextricably tied to stewardship. We live that on a daily basis. However, considering the high stakes we face on sustainability, including evolving consumer demands and government regulation, all American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) members should lean on the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) as a partner and resource, regardless of where we are at on our sustainability journeys.

This year, the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) initiated work on a project to update its pet food and feed ingredient consumption reports. The goal is to provide transparent data, quantifying the numerous ingredients used to feed livestock, poultry, fish and pets in the United States. These reports serve as some of the best reference materials available for those discussing matters impacting the U.S. animal food value chain. IFEEDER is the only public charity investing in this kind of research to inform decisions in the animal food industry.

Sure, greenhouse gas emission reductions often get the limelight when it comes to corporate sustainability programs, but sustainability goes much broader than climate change. Consider the issues that matter most to them, i.e., conducting a “materiality assessment,” as a key step in deciding where the company should focus its sustainability efforts to make an impact. This concept can be confusing, so I break it down here and explain a new resource that the Institute for Feed Education and Research is launching to help companies understand it even better. 

As I close out my term as chair of the Institute for Feed Education and Research’s Board of Trustees, I am filled with pride and gratitude for the incredible accomplishments of our entire team. IFEEDER has truly become a trusted resource for the animal food industry and our stakeholders. Let’s take a moment to reflect on our successes and recognize the areas where the team has made significant impacts. 

In a recent report, McKinsey & Company and the International Dairy Foods Association shared findings from their annual survey of dairy executives. Their responses showed that while dairy executives are excited about the opportunity for growth (expected to be 4% annually through 2027, primarily from cheese and yogurt sales) and product innovation, sustainability keeps them up at night and has moved to the center of the conversation.  

Last fall, Iowa State University unveiled the new ISU Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex, which is dedicated to feed and grain research and education. After this facility's inauguration, ISU launched a traineeship program, providing students with invaluable, well-rounded industry experience. I recently had the opportunity to visit my alma mater to speak with Dirk Maier, Ph.D., the complex’s director, to learn more about this innovative approach to hands-on learning for the future of the feed industry.

At the recent International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), the American Feed Industry Association hosted an educational session called, “Feed Your ESG: How Feed Will Help Hit Sustainability Targets.” While I spoke about Institute for Feed Education and Research’s sustainability efforts underway to support the feed industry and our customers, I took away much more from the panel discussion with Mike Gauss, president of KENT Nutrition Group, who shared insights into his company’s efforts to advance ESG in practice.