Change is inevitable in life and even “good change” requires a degree of effort to navigate successfully. How change impacts you is correlated to how you respond to it. Do you shy away? Do you embrace it? Or are you the type that prepares for change and then turns it into something even better than you anticipated for your life situation? Every opportunity differs, but hopefully you have learned some tips along the way, so change is not as scary every time you work through it.
Formaldehyde has recently been a hot topic for the American Feed Industry Association, as the Environmental Protection Agency is looking to ban all industrial uses of this chemical. As we have written about before on this blog, formaldehyde plays a critical role in controlling pathogens in animal feed, and we have been working tirelessly to ensure the EPA’s process is both transparent and rooted in science, given its future implications for other reviews of chemical products.
The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) is committed to advancing the animal feed industry through strategic policy priorities that enhance business operations, promote sustainability, ensure safety and bolster global competitiveness. These policy priorities are developed with input from our membership and Board leadership.
Last week, I attended and participated in the “State of the Science Summit” at the University of California, Davis, where over 250 experts came together to discuss the research, applicability and regulatory challenges in enteric emissions reduction strategies in animal agriculture. The global “who’s who” in the room collectively acknowledged the role of feeding strategies as a very important part in the reduction of enteric emissions. However, U.S. attendees remained reluctant to get their hopes up, since there were no approved feed ingredients for this intended use available in the market.
Each January, as most of the workforce settles back into post-holiday routines, state legislatures and departments of agriculture ramp up their activity, drafting new legislation and reviewing existing regulations. The mix of proposed legislation and regulatory changes falls into a grouping similar to the title of the iconic Clint Eastwood spaghetti western, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” Here is the lineup of proposed state measures we have been chasing since early January, with as many action scenes and plot twists as the 1966 cowboy classic.
I am an avid college football fan. When watching my beloved Tennessee Volunteers play, I must admit that a lot of my frustration is usually aimed at the officials, which, a lot of the time, is probably a little biased and unfair. At the end of the day, college football fans realize that as much as we like to criticize the officials, we need them to help ensure the fairest outcome of games.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) held its 100th Agricultural Outlook Forum last week, themed “Cultivating the Future,” with the key message of investing in the next generation of leadership in the agriculture field. I walked away with a better understanding of investing in the next generation of ag leaders, the importance of sustainability and innovation and a call to support farmers on all scales.
In the U.S. political landscape, the impending arrival of 2024 carries immense significance for legislative bodies at every level. As a pivotal year divisible by four, it heralds the onset of a multitude of electoral processes. Chief among these is the presidential election, an event that invariably captures the attention of the nation and sets the course for its future trajectory. Beyond the presidency, the electoral stage is set for the renewal of the House of Representatives, with all 435 seats up for grabs. Simultaneously, the Senate will see 33 regular seats, alongside an additional special election, collectively shaping the balance of power and influencing the legislative agenda for years to come. Additionally, there are gubernatorial races in 11 states that add another layer of complexity to the electoral landscape, as voters weigh competing visions for state governance and leadership.
September 30. Each year, the date comes and goes across the world. To some, it may be a birthday, an anniversary or finally the date of the concert you have been waiting for. To many, it is just another day on the calendar. But for those in Washington, D.C., the date looms larger and larger each year. Why is it important and why should the animal food industry care?
Last week, former Florida Republican Congressman Ted Yoho, a veterinarian, penned an op-ed for Agri-Pulse, which inaccurately describes the current regulatory process for new animal food ingredients and calls into question the industry’s need for a legislative solution. The op-ed comes as Congress looks to reauthorize the Animal Drug User Fee Act before its Sept. 30 deadline, which, currently, in the Senate, contains a key, bipartisan-approved bill that would streamline regulatory reviews for new animal food ingredients that act within animals’ gut microbiomes to bring about food safety, production or environmental benefits.