ARLINGTON, VA. — Aligning consistent data and assessing the environmental benefits of innovation across the feed industry were among the goals covered with the release of new Sustainability Road Map project materials by the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER).

Representing US and Canadian industry members and stakeholders, these resources, developed in collaboration with the Context Network and the Animal Nutrition Association of Canada (ANAC), include findings from a comprehensive assessment of industry sustainability practices and a literature database of the impact of novel feed ingredients on animal performance.

“These resources are designed to address the need for efficient and effective tools for measuring, reporting and verifying sustainability efforts,” said Lara Moody, executive director of IFEEDER. “By engaging our animal food customers and considering how we can help them achieve their environmental footprint goals, we will be better equipped to make informed decisions and meet their sustainability objectives.”

During the second phase of the Sustainability Road Map project, IFEEDER, ANAC and the Context Network collaborated with partners across the animal food industry to achieve several objectives. 

One objective included aligning and ensuring industrywide consistency in how data is measured, reported and verified across indicators and metrics important to the industry and its customers. The project also sought to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of life cycle assessments (LCAs) to support the industry and its customers in their sustainability efforts. 

The project also focused on assessing and considering the environmental benefits of innovations in areas such as animal food ration development, ingredients and additives to help stakeholders meet corporate sustainability commitments. 

The first phase of the Sustainability Road Map initiative laid the groundwork by defining “sustainability” for the animal food industry and creating the Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit, a resource for animal food industry companies establishing or advancing internal sustainability programs. The insights gained during this phase identified several critical knowledge and data gaps, which the new materials aim to address. 

As part of phase two of the Sustainability Road Map project, the following resources have been added to the toolkit:

• Results of a matrix assessment, documenting common themes among the metrics tracked throughout the animal agriculture industry. 
• Insights from interviews with allied organizations on current data collection and information management practices.
• A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis of current sustainability practices within the North American animal food industry.
• Findings from a literature review and a comprehensive database, which assess animal performance metrics relative to environmental footprint reduction benefits.

IFEEDER also recently added an additional toolkit resource that defines 16 issue areas material to the animal food industry sustainability, providing industry examples and tangible benefits. 

The complete toolkit is available for free to American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) members and IFEEDER donors on IFEEDER’s website and ANAC members on ANAC’s website. It is also available for purchase to nonmembers for $995 in AFIA’s Online Store. 

The Sustainability Road Map Advisory Committee and project funders included ANAC; APC LLC; Arm & Hammer; Balchem; BASF Corp.; Bayer Crop Science; Berg+Schmidt America, LLC; CHS Inc.; Chr. Hansen; CJ Bio; Darling Ingredients; DSM; Furst-McNess Company; Hill’s Pet Nutrition; ICM Biofuels, LLC; ILC Resources; Kemin Animal Nutrition & Health; Mosaic; Novus; Syngenta; US Roundtable for Sustainable Beef: The Wenger Group; Western Milling; and Zinpro.

Founded in 2009 by the AFIA, IFEEDER supports education and research initiatives in the animal food industry that ensure access to a safe, healthy and sustainable food supply.

Read more about sustainability efforts across the pet food and treat industry.