ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US — In its annual report, “Our Industry, Our Promise,” the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) detailed the challenges facing US feed and pet food manufacturers and the efforts it has made toward sustainability and supply chain resiliency.

In 2023, nearly 5,650 US animal food manufacturers generated an estimated $267.1 billion in total sales, including $98.4 billion in value-added contributions and $18.5 billion in local, state and national taxes.

The industry directly paid $6.9 billion in wages to more than 80,300 employees.

“We owe the AFIA members and staff a debt of gratitude for their dedication to our industry and for encouraging us to continue improving and innovating,” said Carlos González, 2023-24 AFIA board chair and vice president of global regulatory affairs at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. “Our future is bright, and it will be brighter with your participation.”

The AFIA launched new sustainability policies in 2023 that emphasize the US animal food industry’s role as a global sustainability leader through scientific approaches, best practices and innovation.

Over 40% of ingredients used in feed are coproducts from other industries, which means roughly 113.6 million tons of materials are diverted from landfills annually, avoiding approximately 61.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and 7.4 million tonnes of methane emissions, according to the report.

The AFIA promotes global collaboration and partnerships among industry stakeholders, governments and nongovernmental organizations.

It joined with a growing list of industry partners and the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) to launch the Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit in 2023 to help AFIA members develop and make progress on their internal sustainability programs.

AFIA members accessed the toolkit over 160 times and a recent member survey showed their desire for more information.

IFEEDER’s work on the next version of the toolkit is underway, with resources expected to launch in the summer of 2024 that will define existing data needs for industry customers, better quantify environmental benefits of ration innovation, support life cycle assessment (LCA) development and enhance industry communications on sustainability.

In 2023, the AFIA launched a supply chain resiliency task force to address the overreliance on a single or few suppliers for critical inputs used in animal food production. It is developing strategies to diversify and de-risk the vitamin and amino acid supply chain and prevent future dependencies on other inputs, the report said.

The AFIA also has been advocating for the Securing American Agriculture Act, which would bolster agricultural supply chains. Moving forward, the AFIA will continue to seek input from its member task force and provide policymakers with feedback on minimizing future supply chain disruptions for US manufacturers.

The report also includes sections on animal food safety, including preparing manufacturing facilities for routine Food and Drug Administration inspections, safeguarding against potential animal disease outbreaks, protecting worker health and calling for the continued safe use of formaldehyde in swine and poultry feed.

Another section covers global policy challenges, including advocating for sound international policy at the national level and within global fora, holding US trading partners accountable and opening new markets for US animal food exporters in key countries.

The industry is on the verge of several “wins” for advancing regulations for animal food, including the Innovative FEED Act, which would create and review a new class of feed ingredients.

The report also provides an update on AFIA’s professional networking and educational offerings, recognizes several industry award winners and acknowledges the ways the association has given back to local communities and engaged in social media.