Answering Your Questions on COVID-19

Written by: Victoria Broehm   |   April 8, 2020

Coronavirus, Member value, Worker safety, Ensuring a stable food supply

Over the past few weeks, we have received several questions from members, media and the public about the novel coronavirus’s impacts on the animal food industry and its products. American consumers are rightly concerned about access to affordable and nutritious protein and dairy products for their families and pet food for their companion animals during this trying time. The American Feed Industry Association has responded to these questions, based on what we have learned from our members and regulatory agencies.

On AFIA’s newly created Frequently Asked Questions page, you can find answers to the following 15 questions:

• Is feed/pet food safe for animals to eat or can it transmit COVID-19 to the animals or people handling it?
• Is the packaging that pet food or feed comes in a risk for COVID-19 transmission?
• Would feed/pet food need to be held or withdrawn from the marketplace if an animal food industry employee tests positive for COVID-19?
• Should feed or pet food manufacturers hold ingredients in storage, similar to preparations used to thwart African swine fever?
• Is there a shortage of pet food products in the United States?
• Are farmers and ranchers hoarding feed supplies?
• Have there been any disruptions to shipping ingredients into/out of the country?
• Would two-week self-quarantines in certain states impact truckers driving across state lines?
• Have there been any ingredient shortages used in the manufacture of feed/pet food?
• What long-term economic disruptions does the animal food industry expect?
• Will animal food manufacturers be forced to close down should they have employees test positive for COVID-19?
• What will happen if an animal food manufacturing facility ends up in a “hot spot”?
• What will happen if large numbers of employees can no longer report to animal food manufacturing facilities due to COVID-19?
• Do animal food manufacturers use personal protective equipment or other sanitation supplies and are shortages expected?
• Can sick truck drivers delivering feed to animals on farms spread COVID-19 to them? What about other on-farm visitors?

AFIA will be updating this webpage with new questions as they arise. If you have a question you would like to see added to this list, please leave us a comment below. For all other content related to the industry’s response to this crisis, see the COVID-19 webpage.