Twice a year, those interested in the animal food regulatory space make the trek to attend the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) meetings. Sometimes those treks require patience while traveling through blizzards in the winter. Sometimes, it requires fortitude to handle being in business clothes instead of in shorts watching a baseball game during the summer. For both meetings, it requires preparation from all parties to make sure the AAFCO business gets due consideration and discussion. Your American Feed Industry Association staff are there on your behalf and are busy preparing for the upcoming AAFCO annual meeting, happening Aug. 3-6 in St. Louis, Mo.
Dogs and cats have been part of my life ever since my parents brought a stray kitten home from the bustling streets of New York City. I realize how fortunate my family is to have the means to care for our pets including flying them to Europe when we moved abroad. Not all companion animals are blessed to have stable homes and not all pet owners have the means to cover the cost of routine care or find new homes when life changes force the surrender of loved animals. Subsidized programs to neuter and rehome pets and feral cats are part of a caring culture. But should the cost of these efforts be borne by pet food businesses through legislatively mandated taxation? My response is a firm “no.”
In Vermont, grouse hunting season starts the last Saturday in September, manure spreading season (yep, it’s a thing) starts on April 1, and maple production season starts whenever the weather decides to cooperate. Across the country, “legislative season” is a combination of all three – legally mandated, fickle, and on occasion, a bit smelly. There are still a handful of state legislatures in session, and some will re-convene during the summer for special issues, however as the hectic part of the legislative year has come to a close, it is time to review the diverse bills we tracked this year so far. Pets, pot, piscis (fish) and pesky changes received our attention over the past six months as we tracked bills in Louisiana, Maine, Maryland and New York.
A few weeks ago, our American Feed Industry Association Board of Directors met with their congressional officials to discuss matters of importance to the animal food industry. For some, it was their first chance to walk the halls of Congress and take part in the political process, but for others, it was a chance to reconnect in person after a while of virtual visits. Hear what they had to say about the issues that are important to them and why members should get involved in federal advocacy.
It is very difficult for me to believe how quickly the past year has come and gone. It seems like only yesterday I was thanking Church & Dwight Company’s Scott Druker, previous AFIA Board chair and our first “virtual” one at that, for his leadership through some very challenging times. While some uncertainty remains in the global marketplace, significant progress has been made toward realizing our new post-pandemic normal. This has certainly been the case for the American Feed Industry Association.
Ahh the Golden State – California. A state known for its picturesque beaches, its tall redwood trees and its laid-back West Coast style. It is also known for its active and connected grassroots networks that lobby for ballot initiatives aimed at chipping away at U.S. production agriculture, with little benefit to animal health and welfare, but at a huge cost to farmers and consumers.
State legislators are to be admired for the work they do. Most are paid very little for their service – all the way down to the $100 annually that New Hampshire’s lawmakers make for months of work, entailing long hours and time away from home. But sometimes, it would be appreciated if state legislators didn’t work quite so hard... This year, we have been tracking several state bills that hold no regard for federal regulations or the appropriate use of funds collected from businesses.
When I was a feed mill manager, one of my least favorite things to do was keeping up with all of the changing regulations that our facility had to comply with to manufacture feed. A necessary evil, regulations help us to make safe animal food, keep our workers safe, protect our environment and keep the public safe, but they certainly make life difficult for manufacturers at times.
One of the main priorities of the American Feed Industry Association is to represent our industry on legislative and regulatory issues. The AFIA staff consistently communicates with legislators to provide them valuable data that assists in determining policy positions and regulations. These efforts are critical in driving the positive changes required in our common goal of producing safe, nutritious and high-quality animal food.
It is my pleasure to introduce the American Feed Industry Association's inaugural, "Our Industry, Our Promise" report, which provides an overview of the challenges the U.S. animal food industry is currently facing and the ways the association is delivering on its policy priorities on behalf of its 650+ members.