In order to get better at something, you must practice. That was drilled into me at a young age by a basketball coach I had as a pre-teen. I wanted to play college basketball so I practiced and practiced, I even slept with my basketball! That saying also goes for activities outside of sports too. So, practice indeed is what our U.S. government agencies and 14 state animal health authorities did in September, regarding a mock scenario of an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in the U.S.

Now that the 2018 Farm Bill has removed hemp as a schedule 1 controlled substance and listed it as an agricultural commodity, making it legal for farmers to grow the crop for industrial uses in states that permit it, some are wondering: can hemp products be used in feed or pet food? At this time, the answer is no. But given growing consumer interest, our members and even some state regulatory bodies are asking us this question.

Welcome to AFIA’s twist on “How It’s Made,” featuring animal food! Like many of the products made on the popular TV show, the making of animal feed is a multifaceted and methodical process.

The U.S. animal food industry hasn’t faced the same level of backlash as other industries and those within the agricultural sector because of the current U.S.-China tariff war, mainly because it has barely had access to the Chinese market in the first place.

“Safety first!” This age-old adage rings just as true today as it did when it originated in the 1900s. The American Feed Industry Association recently asked a few of its members to discuss how they make sure safety always comes first, especially when onboarding new employees.

This week, President Donald Trump started the process for the United States to enter into a free trade agreement with Japan. With Japan representing the third largest export market for feed, feed ingredients and pet food products behind Canada and Mexico, this could bring about positive changes for the U.S. animal food industry.

Roughly this time last year, we started hearing about the first outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) across China. Our rapid response team immediately activated, developing a multi-pronged action plan to address this issue. Now, more than a year later, with the disease still actively spreading across Europe and Asia, we realize that this threat, which has so far stayed outside of our borders, is still of grave concern. 

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” U.S. Postal Service’s unofficial motto.