At the American Feed Industry Association, we take our promises to members very seriously. Hear from animal food industry peers on how the AFIA best exemplifies its Four Promises to members and how you can benefit from them.
If it were to enter the United States, “African swine fever (ASF) would be the most significant animal disease issue the United States has ever seen,” said Cassie Jones, Ph.D., undergraduate research coordinator in Kansas State University’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. This is because once the disease is found in feral pigs or ticks, it would be nearly impossible to eradicate, so the focus now, particularly for swine producers and feed manufacturers, should be on prevention.
The year 2015 offered few notable fashion, news or entertainment headlines, unless the unfortunate bumbling “Left Shark” of the Super Bowl halftime show counts as all three. But in the world of pet food, 2015 was a big year. It was the year the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) started to “review and consider potential changes to modernize pet food labeling…,” and now, after nearly eight years of hard work, the label changes are on the brink of roll-out.
What is now the fourth largest chicken processing company in the United States, started as a small feed company in 1914 in Little Rock, Ark. Mountaire Farms, family owned and operated, attributes their many years of success to their commitment to customers with quality products and exceptional service. Key to this commitment is their Safe Feed/Safe Food (SF/SF) certified status.
Safety has advanced in recent years. Yet, further action must be taken for people to enjoy a workplace as free as possible from hazards. According to data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses, and 5,190 fatal work injuries, occurred in the United States in 2021 – an 8% increase from the prior year.
It is a joint effort between regulators, industry and stakeholders to do our jobs and achieve the goal of providing safe and nutritious animal food products that help feed the world. It was refreshing to see this reflected by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) at its recent midyear meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
Are you aware that formaldehyde is an important feed additive for reducing virus risks, which the Environmental Protection Agency is currently trying to ban? First, let me explain why formaldehyde is in animal food and then I will discuss how the EPA’s current regulations may impact its safe use in animal food manufacturing in the future.
The Institute for Feed Education and Research recently released its Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit, giving animal food companies a starting place for building business environments that incorporate sustainability into their cultures and decision-making. We had the opportunity to speak with some American Feed Industry Association members about how they are using the toolkit and what value it provides to their companies.
Every January, the “in-session” map on our state legislative and regulatory tracking service starts to light up as most state legislatures open for business. By mid-February, 45 states are in regular session and one state is in a special session. These next few months, we will certainly be busy tracking bills and working with state and regional associations to minimize negative impacts brought on the industry by overly ambitious legislators.
The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) combustible dust standards have been around for a long time. If you have been tasked with managing a manufacturing facility in the animal food industry, you have probably heard of them, but may be confused with how they could apply to your facility.