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From the moment I started at the American Feed Industry Association, I have been consumed with all things China--the restrictions, barriers, questions, unknowns, complexities and just plain confusion of trying to get U.S. animal food products into that market.  

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. 

The United States is no stranger to Africa, having had a number of interests in the policies shaping the diverse continent over the years. Our interests have ranged from political – gleaning ways to prevent conflict and reduce political instability that can threaten U.S. national security – to humanitarian – combating the root causes of hunger and poverty, which also stands to benefit U.S. security and prosperity. 

On Tuesday, more than 200 professionals across the pet food industry gathered virtually for the American Feed Industry Association’s 14th annual Pet Food Conference. Given that over the past year we have all faced challenges navigating the unrelenting coronavirus pandemic, it was uplifting to hear from several experts who said the pet food industry remains a bright spot for U.S. businesses and pet owners. 

Hang around the American Feed Industry Association international trade team long enough and you will hear “SPS issues,” “SPS barriers to trade” and “more commitment to SPS in trade negotiations” pretty frequently. Gina Tumbarello and I love throwing around the acronym “SPS!” Many of you may ask, “what does SPS mean and how can SPS issues or barriers affect AFIA members?” I look forward to a challenge, so here we go on a blog journey about SPS measures and why they matter to the feed industry.

Is there any better cooking device than the grill? I don’t think I could be convinced otherwise. You can cook anything on the grill! Burgers, chicken, vegetables, fruit, beans – even pizza. As a grilled-meat lover, I can’t wait until the weather warms up enough to fire up the grill. So, when I learned that July is National Grilling Month, I thought we had better take the opportunity to commemorate the occasion and thank all of the feed manufacturers, farmers and ranchers who make summer dinners on the grill possible.

During a time full of uncertainty about the future – uncertainty about our health, safety, jobs, economy, the education of our children – thankfully there is one thing that is certain for our industry. The trading relationship between the U.S., Canada and Mexico can resume and will be stronger and better than ever.

It is hard not to notice the ever changing landscape of international trade policy. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, trade with China, Japan, U.K. and the European Union - there is so much happening and all of it has huge implications for U.S. agriculture and the animal food industry. The American Feed Industry Association works hard to protect our industry’s interests globally and I am proud to be a member of the committee that oversees these efforts.