There are 21 item(s) tagged with the keyword "Ingredients".
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What do industrial hemp, pet neutering and packaging materials all have in common?
They are all issues being considered by state legislatures and being tracked by the American Feed Industry Association in our efforts to promote harmonization between state laws and regulations, protect against fees paid by the feed industry and not directly tied to regulation, and encourage a fair business climate for our members. As many state legislatures are wrapping up their sessions, the AFIA is reviewing its wins and losses (and in some cases our draws) for the year.
Our members strive every day for excellence in researching and developing new ingredients for use in feed and pet food. It is our responsibility to bring products to the market that are safe for the intended species and perform as promised. So why should our expectations from our government when it comes to their job of reviewing the safety and efficacy of those new animal food ingredients be any different?
With the kick-off of the American Feed Industry Association’s new fiscal year comes new priorities within the legislative and regulatory areas as set by the association’s Board of Directors. These priorities set the course for our work advocating on behalf of the membership at the state, federal and international levels. Here is a brief overview of the categories we will focus on this year.
We are excited to share new trade data on U.S. animal food industry exports for 2020. Of note, the overall export value for feed, feed ingredients and pet food increased by $874 million, or 7.2%, over 2019 and the total volume of exports of these products increased by 1.1 million metric tons, or 3.5%, during that time.
Following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, there was a great excitement in some sectors on the removal of hemp as a schedule I controlled substance and its move to being listed as an agricultural commodity, making it legal for farmers to grow the crop for industrial uses in states that permit it. Almost immediately, state legislatures passed bills recognizing hemp as an animal food ingredient. There was only one problem with all this activity: while it might have been legal to grow hemp, it certainly is not legal to feed it to livestock or pets. However, steps are now in motion to change that.
Good research should tell a story. At the Institute for Feed Education and Research, we have a new story to tell. Our newly released Animal Feed Consumption and COVID-19 Impact Analysis tells the story of a vibrant animal food manufacturing industry that allows domestic livestock and pets to consume nearly 284 million tons of safe, high quality and nutritious food annually. It also tells a story of the dedication of over 944,000 people who make the industry tick.
Any pet owner who has watched as their dog or cat snapped at a fly or chased a grasshopper and then happily gobbled up the insect has probably inwardly grimaced as the pet crunched on the critter. Even knowing the insect is a good source of balanced protein can still make it hard to overcome the “ewww” factor of eating mealworms and crickets. In the United States, black soldier fly larvae can be fed to poultry, swine and certain types of fish in their diets and also sold for use as treats or snacks for pets.
Halloween is one of my all-time favorite holidays. I love everything about it – the candy, costumes, scary stories, haunted houses – you name it. And since making Feed Facts are one of my favorite things to do for my job, I thought I ought to combine them and make some fun Halloween Feed Facts. I hope you enjoy these graphics and if you would like to share them on social media, you can click to download them. Happy Halloween from the American Feed Industry Association!
Before I dive into this Food and Drug Administration news update, I would be remiss if I didn’t somehow address the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for the animal food industry. FDA is so grateful for the industry’s cooperation with us during this trying time. We have really relied on animal food trade associations, like the American Feed Industry Association, to help gather information on supply chains and to share critical information with industry. I’m impressed by how well you’ve managed to maintain supply while still protecting your employees. Rest assured, FDA is working with our state partners and agencies, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency, on an all-of-government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The only way we are going to get through this is if we work together.
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.
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