A quick internet search will pull up hundreds of animal treats and snacks containing hemp and hemp derivatives, such as CBD and various oils. The label promises the products will bring animals relief for anxiety or pain and better skin and coat health. There is only one problem: there is no legal way to offer hemp in animal food or treats.
In late January, the American Feed Industry Association held its annual Pet Food Conference, where we recognized our “Friends of Pet Food” award winners and discussed several emerging topics in the burgeoning pet food space.
2021 proved to be a fabulous year for U.S. animal food exports! The latest data from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that our industry’s exports grew 22% in value in 2021 compared to 2022, when including products such as feed additives, premixes, distillers dried grains with solubles, soybean meal, alfalfa and hay products, animal meals and pet food.
Feb. 14 marks the two-year anniversary of the U.S.-China phase one trade agreement. One of the provisions from the agreement committed China to purchasing more U.S. products by the end of 2021. Specifically, China was to increase its imports of U.S. products by at least $200 billion from 2017 numbers between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2021. This week, the U.S. Department of Commerce released new data that shows China is $17.8 billion below its commitment, $14.4 billion of which is on agricultural products.
Unfortunately, last week brought another misleading attack on the American agriculture community. The New York Times used its platform to dish out a one-sided opinion video that paints the entire food industry in a negative light. The title alone, “Getting Paid to Kill Our Planet,” is disappointing, given it defies everything I know about those who work in this industry and have dedicated their lives to improving the world in which we live for current and future generations.
In the early part of 2020, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic had been declared in the U.S., it was apparent that the business of agriculture would continue. Even facing down many challenges, the production of food, fuel and fiber pressed on. Looking through a lens of reverence and helpfulness, the American Feed Industry Association’s Nutrition Committee set about capturing the enduring spirit of our industry and disseminating it to those that could benefit from the experiences and philosophies of others.
Dr. Joseph McFadden’s opinion piece in The Hill this week was a good reminder to me how there is no simple answer to “fixing” the climate issues our world faces. There is no one “silver bullet” identified yet that will fix the situation. However, that is not for lack of trying.
At today's Feed Education Program, the American Feed Industry Association, in partnership with Feedstuffs, named Kent Nutrition Group’s (KNG) Mason, Mich., plant as its 2021 Commercial Dry Feed Facility of the Year.
Congratulations to this year's AFIA Friend of Pet Food Award winners - George Fahey, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UI) and Dennis Jewell, Ph.D., formerly of Hill's Pet Nutrition.
Attention to our own health and the health of our planet has given rise to an array of diet recommendations that have advice for optimizing both. Relative to the planet, advocates for reduced meat diets point to the environmental impacts attributed to animal production as a key issue, whereas advocates for meat as a good protein source point to the beneficial role that animal production plays in better soil health and conservation agriculture. Like many concepts, the truth is unclear, understanding the issues around diets and agriculture is complex and many options may be viable, depending on your goals.