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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 our staff's all-time favorite holidays. We love everything about it – the candy, costumes, scary stories, haunted houses – you name it! Our communications team made some spooky #FeedFacts, which you are welcome to share on social media. 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.

I am sure you saw the headlines a few weeks ago about Burger King’s new advertising campaign and how the fast food retailer plans to reduce greenhouse gases by including lemongrass in cattle diets. Well, surprise, surprise! Their description of cows emitting gas (aka farts) is just plain wrong and the research they used on the feed ingredient is inconclusive.

I think most people would agree that ice cream is a delicious treat year-round, but there is just something about eating an ice cream cone on a hot, summer day that makes it so much better. With this weekend marking the official start of summer and June being National Dairy Month, now is an excellent time to walk through the journey that ice cream takes from crop to cone.