The American Feed Industry Association’s (AFIA) Board of Directors wrapped up its annual spring meeting last week, where they advocated for key policy priorities impacting the animal food industry on Capitol Hill.  

Last week, the American Feed Industry Association had the honor of thanking those who have greatly impacted our industry in a positive way. The group and individual who received awards represent the ‘best of the best,’ exhibiting amazing expertise to help the AFIA achieve its goals and objectives and making significant contributions to animal feed.  

Millions of years ago, horses digestive systems evolved to continuously consume large amounts of fibrous forage while they moved from place to place at a steady pace. But in an era when few horse owners can mimic this natural diet and supporting behavior, and many horses require extra nutrients for their training regimen or aging bodies, the use of specialized fractions of whole grains is essential for owners who look to provide balanced diets that will maintain their horse’s health and productivity. As I heard at a recent conference, technology, functionality and transparency are key elements to consider when including these ingredients in equine diets. 

The American Feed Industry Association recently joined the U.S. Sustainability Alliance (USSA), which is a group of associations across the farming, fisheries and forestry industries. USSA was founded in 2013 and advocates for sustainable U.S. food and agricultural production, while supporting producers through global promotion of sustainable products and sharing of knowledge for optimal use of natural resources.

I just returned from the 2024 Pet Food Forum in Kansas City, Mo., last week, where it became abundantly clear to me that “functionality” is the new trend in pet food. 

At the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), we are committed to expanding opportunities for our members. Gina Tumbarello, Ivy Torres and I manage global affairs for AFIA, overseeing animal food import and export challenges, navigating policies that impact opportunities to trade and implementing market development programs. Our goal is simple: to ensure our members’ ability to thrive, expand and grow by successfully entering new markets abroad, while also maintaining access to the current markets. 

Over the last few years, the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) has significantly expanded its support for members in international areas. Our efforts have now broadened to include developing stronger relationships with foreign and international feed associations as well as with foreign governments. In addition, we are providing education to international buyers, end-users, importers and regulators about the quality and diversity of U.S. animal feed, thereby enhancing market access for our industry. 

Feed bags play a pivotal role in keeping animal feed fresh during storage and transportation. Most often, bulk bags made for the purposes of feed are typically manufactured with woven polypropylene, which has been proven to be extremely difficult to recycle. While individuals have found other personal use for the bags, there is no large-scale effort to recycle these bags across the industry, but that could soon change.