There are 18 item(s) tagged with the keyword "Ensuring a stable food supply".
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It has been about a year since I joined the American Feed Industry Association. I can say without a doubt – it has not been the year I expected! Instead of spending my days on the road meeting AFIA’s members in their offices or at their facilities, attending events and seeing the AFIA team work with our members to deliver first-class education and networking events, or meeting in-person with elected officials and government representatives, half of the year has been spent learning a new way of doing business.
One of the main reasons the American Feed Industry Association formed over a century ago was to harmonize state feed laws. Now, in 2020, our organization still tracks legislative and regulatory issues of importance happening at the state level, and recent actions in California highlighted yet another urgent reason why this is necessary.
As a farmer-owned cooperative, Land O’Lakes sees firsthand the enormous strain the coronavirus pandemic has caused for communities across rural America, and for the agriculture industry that was already reeling from trade dynamics and poor growing conditions in 2019. Like everyone else, farmers and their rural neighbors have also grappled with the dramatic shift of carrying out everyday activities via online platforms due to COVID-19. Land O’Lakes sees first-hand how the digital divide (those that have high-speed internet access, commonly known as broadband, and those that don't) has only been further exacerbated by the pandemic, making it nearly impossible for rural residents to keep up with schoolwork, business and even doctors’ appointments.
When the Animal Agriculture Alliance and the American Feed Industry Association were approached to sign onto a letter on the value of animal agriculture, neither group hesitated to fully support this initiative. We needed to say with one, loud voice – animal agriculture is not to blame for the coronavirus pandemic and in fact, we may offer an important part of the solution.
In this tumultuous time, our industry plays an important role in not only getting fact-based news and information out, but also in sharing the powerful story of our industry employees, who continue to report to work to ensure a stable feed and pet food supply. The American Feed Industry Association is participating in and following a few social media initiatives to help share the stories of the agriculture industry and we hope that you will join us.
American Feed Industry Association President and CEO Constance Cullman delivered a short video message today to members detailing how the association is addressing industry challenges in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic. She asks that members continue sharing their concerns with the staff so that our essential industry can make it through the public health crisis together.
Over the past few weeks, we have received several questions from members, media and the public about the novel coronavirus’s impacts on the animal food industry and its products. American consumers are rightly concerned about access to affordable and nutritious protein and dairy products for their families and pet food for their companion animals during this trying time. The American Feed Industry Association has responded to these questions, based on what we have learned from our members and regulatory agencies.
“It’s a challenging time but I think our industry, the animal food industry, we’re here. We’re ready to help. We’re going to make sure our livestock and poultry and companion animals have the food that they need so you and I can continue to have the food that we need…for our families.”
The theme of this year’s National Agriculture Day, “Food brings everyone to the table,” hits home for the animal food industry. While the animal food industry may not be the most well understood in the overall agricultural industry, we play a unique and very important role in U.S. agriculture – making sure America’s livestock (and thus people) and pets are fed nutritious and safe food!
With nearly a dozen states now issuing orders to close non-essential businesses in an attempt to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the American Feed Industry Association took quick action last week to ensure that feed, feed ingredient and pet food manufacturers could continue supplying their customers with food to feed their livestock, poultry and companion animals.
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