The Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) has released its latest annual update, summarizing its efforts to advance a sustainable animal feed and pet food supply chain through research and education. Over the past year, IFEEDER has collaborated with industry partners and stakeholders on several projects aimed at addressing the evolving needs of the animal food industry.
“Our work reflects a commitment to provide tools and knowledge that help the industry address today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities,” said Lara Moody, IFEEDER executive director. “We continue to grow the number and scope of projects we can annually undertake so we may better serve the industry’s needs.”
Key highlights from the annual update include two major reports quantifying ingredients used in U.S. pet food and consumed as livestock and poultry feed, including a focus on materials upcycled from other industries; advancements in life cycle assessment data through the Global Feed LCA Institute; and on-farm research aimed at incorporating methane mitigation strategies in dairy through feed additives and ingredients. Ongoing initiatives include examining supply chain resilience for vitamins and amino acids, updating swine nutrition requirements and continuing to expand U.S. feed ingredient data for improved environmental impact assessments.
In addition to its research initiatives, IFEEDER continues to work with the American Feed Industry Association’s Equipment Manufacturing Committee to financially support industry education. This year, the committee generated $23,476 in scholarship funds that benefit students pursuing careers in the feed and grain sciences.
IFEEDER’s annual update is now available on ifeeder.org. To learn more about the organization’s impact or get involved, visit ifeeder.org.
