“At present, there is not a single facility in the United States licensed and approved for feed-related research involving Salmonella, E. coli and other common, food-related pathogens,” said Kirk Schulz, president of KSU. “We are thankful that Cargill’s contribution helps support the construction of this Kansas State research facility.”
Gary Pierzynski, interim dean of the KSU College of Agriculture, added, “Animal nutrition research during the past 50-plus years has focused on several key areas, including the establishment of nutritional requirements of animals. The growing importance of related factors, such as food safety and control of food-borne pathogens, is increasingly evident. Future animal nutrition and feed processing technologies research must take these factors into consideration to ensure the long-term sustainability of animal agriculture.”
The facility is expected to become operational in late 2012, with planned research efforts ranging from feed processing technologies to lower bacterial/viral introduction to animal food livestock operations and the food chain. The facility will be located on the Manhattan campus and housed in the O.H. Kruse Feed Mill and Bio-refinery. It will be in close proximity to the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility federal laboratory built by the Department of Homeland Security. The Cargill Center for Feed Safety Research will be a critical link between the research and teaching efforts of these facilities.
“Advancements in food safety are one of the biggest focus areas for the industry at the present time,” said Chuck Warta, a vice-president at Cargill Animal Nutrition. “Feed and feed ingredients are an increasingly critical part of the safe food system. Helping enable this research is an investment that reaches beyond Cargill. The entire animal feed industry will benefit from the continued development of food, feed and feed ingredient safety.”
