ARLINGTON, VA. — The Institute for Feed Research and Education (IFEEDER) released its 2019-2020 annual report, highlighting its latest contributions and accomplishments in the pet food and animal feed space.

IFEEDER was incorporated into the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) in 2009, and this recent report reflects on its 11^th year serving the feed industry.

Overall, IFEEDER received $2.1 million in monetary and in-kind support and revenue over the year, which it used to fund various programs, research initiatives and scholarships. IFEEDER contributed $101,000 to its programs, $16,000 to the Kenny Berg Research and Education Fund, $10,000 to its scholarship programs, and $155,000 in in-kind provisions.

The Kenny Berg Research and Education Fund supports the study of liquid feed for beef and dairy industries. IFEEDER’s Equipment Manufacturers Committee (EMC) Scholarship Fund supports four prospective animal food industry students each year across Kansas State University, North Carolina State University, North Dakota State University and California Polytechnic State University. IFEEDER added two new scholarships this year with Auburn University and Iowa State University.

Most notably, IFEEDER partnered with Pet Food Institute (PFI) and the North American Renderers Association (NARA) to commission a comprehensive study into the impact of the pet food manufacturing industry on the overall agricultural economy. Read a full summary of this study in our article, “IFEEDER: Pet food processors generate economic value throughout the supply chain.”

The organization officially launched the Global Feed Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) Institute in 2019, an initiative which began in 2016. The institute was created in collaboration with AFIA, the European Feed Manufacturers Federation, Animal Nutrition Association of Canada (ANAC), International Feed Industry Federation, and the Norwegian Seafood Federation.

The Global Feed LCA Institute works to critically measure the overall environmental footprint of the animal nutrition industry and establishing a database that can be communicated throughout the feed value chain. It aims to develop tools to help stakeholders assess their own environmental impacts and drive continuous improvement.

Additionally, IFEEDER supported research by the Center for Clarity and Leadership in Environmental Assessment and Research (CLEAR Center) to promote communication among industry members. It also partnered with the Animal Nutrition Association of Canada and the Swine Health Information Center to evaluate virus transmission and mitigation inside feed mills.

“The research and education work IFEEDER does to provide the facts in the face of all the misinformation and marketing hype being done today must continue,” wrote Bruce Crutcher, current chair of IFEEDER in the opening statements of the annual report. “No matter what part of the animal food industry you are in, we all benefit from IFEEDER’s work. The research and education that it provides allows each of us to learn and grow. It helps each of us to make our businesses a little bit better than they were the year before. And it helps build trust and understanding of the feed industry’s role in producing safe, nutritious and affordable animal protein.”

Going forward, IFEEDER will continue investing in research that supports sustainability throughout the pet food and feed industries. The organization requested proposals for a two-phased research project and communication strategy, which it plans to launch in 2021.

The organization will also co-fund a study to continue analyzing the transmission and mitigation of African swine fever in feed mills, developing a dynamic modeling tool to better understand possible scenarios.

IFEEDER will also study the use of genetically modified feed ingredients (GMOs) and their potential value to the industry, alongside the National Corn Growers Association, United Soybean Board, US Poultry and Egg Association and MFA Incorporated. The results of this study are expected by the end of the year.

Read IFEEDER’s full 2019-2020 annual report.

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