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Even before the pandemic, the protracted trade war between the U.S. and China and widespread animal disease outbreaks in Asia left supply chains frayed and sales in question. Since the introduction of COVID-19, the economic slowdown and uncertainty around some of the basics, such as the availability of flights, containers and other logistics to export markets, has further put the pinch on sales. If it is not already in your export portfolio, animal food manufacturers should consider Vietnam and whether there is value and sales opportunities there.

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. 

Cell-cultured muscle is not a new phenomenon. In 1885, Wilhelm Roux was able to culture cells from the neural plate of a chicken embryo for a few days. Those early experiments eventually expanded to a variety of cell types, including muscle.

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.

Most people can count the number of animal rights groups they know on one hand. If only that were how many actually exist. Not only are there hundreds of animal rights groups, but they are working together to make farming and ranching more difficult and cause distrust with your customers.

Among the special days of the holiday season, National Milk Day (January 11, if you haven’t already marked your calendar) may not get the attention Christmas gifts and New Year’s kisses may attract. But the day, believed to be the anniversary of the first delivery of milk in bottles in the U.S. in 1878, is a good occasion to look at where milk stands with consumers and where it’s heading next.

As we near that time of year when we think of all the things we have in our lives to be thankful for, I often think of our ancestors who came to America. I imagine the hardships we have all read about as they slowly crossed our country and found a place to become their home.

Formulating diets for livestock and pets is no easy feat. What many people don’t know is that the making of animal food is a very scientific and specialized process. I had the opportunity to speak with Kate Jackson, Ph.D., and Trevor Faber, Ph.D., of Trouw Nutrition, on what goes into animal food and why.