The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) solicited input on its new 2005-2009 strategic plan from six national trade organizations representing the commercial feed, feed ingredients, and pet food sectors during a day-and-a-half summit conducted in early June.
Participating in the summit were industry and executive staff representatives of stakeholder groups that work closely with AAFCO and provide advisers to its committees, including the National Renderers Association (NRA), American Feed Industry Association, American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, National Grain and Feed Association, National Oilseed Processors Association, and Pet Food Institute.
AAFCO’s 2005-2009 strategic plan, which was adopted by its board of directors in 2004, contains objectives for both internal organization, outreach to stakeholders, and program development. Emphasis areas include feed safety; ensuring working partnerships with stakeholders; promoting and enhancing member participation; enhancing communications; promoting organizational growth; and promoting internationally the North American system of feed safety, labeling, and ingredient approval.
Attending on behalf of NRA was Dr. David Meeker, vice president, Scientific Services, who said, “The rendering industry has goals similar to AAFCO’s concerning the safety of feed ingredients, and the strategic planning meeting gave us an opportunity to discuss how industry programs can work hand-in-hand with regulation to meet those goals.” He added that while AAFCO is encouraging development of safe feed regulations in states, industry leaders believe an appropriate balance between regulation and industry self-control is more appropriate.
“Existing safety assurance programs such as the Animal Protein Producers Industry’s Code of Practice will work,” Meeker commented.
AFIA Elects New Directors
The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) has elected the following 18 new members to its board of directors, whose terms will run from June 2005 to June 2008:
• John Bloomhall, Diamond V Mills
• James Conway, Griffin Industries
• John Greaves, Kemin AgriFoods North America
• Todd Hall, Cargill Animal Nutrition
• Steve Hastings, Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Products
• Mike Horn, Pennfield Corporation
• Kimberly Magin, Monsanto
• Julian Maxwell, Ajinomoto Heartland
• Niall McStay, BASF Corporation
• Kevin Ochsner, Agri Business Group
• Don Orr, United Feeds
• John Petty, Wisconsin Agri-Service Association
• Brian Rittgers, Elanco Animal Health
• Thomas Robertson, Tyson Foods
• Jim Sherman, Tennessee Farmers Cooperative
• Bryan Shoemaker, Westway Feed Products
• Bill Tom, Church and Dwight
• Roger Townsend, Chief Industries
Feed Industry Helps Fund Equine Report
Spearheaded by the Specialty Feeds Committee of the American Feed Industry Association’s (AFIA’s) Nutrition Council, the feed industry raised over $70,000 to support the ongoing rewrite of the Nutrient Requirements of Equines, last revised in 1989.
AFIA has presented $53,000 to the National Academies thus far from the following firms: Alfagreen Supreme, Alltech, Blue Seal Feeds, Cargill Animal Nutrition, Chelated Minerals, Diamond V Mills, DSM Nutritional Products, Evergreen Mills, Hi-Pro Feeds, Kauffman’s Animal Health, Kent Feeds, Land O’Lakes-Purina Mills, Manna Pro, Martindale Feed Mill, Mountaire Feeds, Oklahoma Feed Industry Association, Seminole Feeds, Westway Feed Products, and Zinpro.
Dr. Randall Robbins, Hi-Pro Feeds, Inc., current chair of the Specialty Feeds Committee, said that the group expects to exceed the current pledges and receipts. Additional funding for the rewrite came from the American Paint Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association, North American Equine Ranching Horse Association, Equine Science Society, and the National Research Council’s Kellogg Endowment.
In early 2004, the National Academies’ Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources created a committee of equine experts to undertake the rewrite. As the report-drafting portion nears completion, fundraising to ensure completion of the project is ongoing. The report is expected to be released later this year or early in 2006.
Long-time Transporter Passes
Leslie Frailich, owner of Frailich Commodities, Los Angeles, CA, passed away last fall at the age of 70.
After spending several years as a meat inspector, Frailich began his business in 1962, transporting raw material from Los Angeles area wholesale meat companies, retail markets, and restaurants to local renderers such as Peterson Manufacturing, Darling International, and Baker Commodities. He sold his company to Baker Commodities just prior to his passing last September.
Frailich is survived by two sons, Bruce and Ken, and four grandchildren.
New Trans Fatty Acid Method
The American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) Uniform Methods Committee recently approved a method for measuring trans fatty acids in animal and vegetable fats and oils. AOCS Method Ce1h-05 is the methodology to use for trans fatty acid analysis that meets U.S. Food and Drug Administration labeling regulations taking effect January 1, 2006.
AOCS Method Ce1h-05 is the outcome of nearly two years of collaborative efforts between AOCS Technical Services and experts from around the world. The method is available for purchase online at www.aocs.org/tech, or by calling (217) 359-2344.
NRA President Elected to NIAA Board
Tom Cook, president, National Renderers Association (NRA), has been elected to a three-year term on the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) Board of Directors. The mission of the group is to provide a forum for building consensus and advancing solutions for animal agriculture and to provide continuing education and communication linkages for animal agricultural professionals.
Other individuals elected to serve a three-year term on the 15-member board include Leonard Bull, North Carolina State University; Jim Fraley, Illinois Farm Bureau; Lawrence Heider, Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges; and David Miller, Iowa Farm Bureau.
Omega Protein Receives AFIA Certification
Omega Protein, Inc., a supplier of menhaden fish meal and fish oil, has received charter membership in the American Feed Industry Association’s (AFIA’s) Safe Food/Safe Feed program. This program establishes guidelines that require members to be proactive in their safety and good manufacturing practices such as those outlined by the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point program.
AFIA’s Safe Feed/Safe Food program is open to feed manufacturers, pet food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, integrated producers, meat processors, feed purchasers, livestock producers, renderers, and others who want to validate a commitment to feed and food safety.
Packerland Closes Nebraska Plant
Packerland Packing, headquartered in Green Bay, WI, will close its Gering, NE, operations, which employs about 200 workers and processes approximately 320 cattle per day.
“We based our decision on the fact that procuring cattle to maintain production levels at this facility is a unique challenge, a situation largely due to the ban on importing cattle from Canada into the United States, and the reduced availability of western range cows and bulls,” stated a company press release.
“In addition, the Gering plant has not been profitable for some time,” the release continued. “And given that the prospect of reopening the Canadian border anytime soon is dim and the corresponding outlook for the cattle supply is poor, the Gering plant would have remained unprofitable for the foreseeable future.”
Packerland will assist its employees in finding alternative employment and absorb the 320 cattle per day production into other plants.
Pork Producers’ Vice President Passes
Lois Britt, vice president, National Pork Producers Council (NPCC), passed away June 4, 2005. She also served as a special assistant to the president of Murphy Brown, LLC, and owned a crop and cattle farm.
“Lois was a tireless advocate for the U.S. pork industry who will be sorely missed,” said NPCC President Don Buhl. “She leaves a remarkable legacy – a legacy that U.S. pork producers will benefit from for years to come.”
In addition to her service on the board of NPCC, Britt served as an industry leader with the North Carolina Pork Producers, North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Federation, North Carolina Agricultural Advancement Consortium, and the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.
Swift Names Executives
Swift and Company has named Sam Rovit as its chief executive officer (CEO) and a member of its board of directors, and promoted Dennis Henley to chief operating officer.
Rovit was previously a member of the partnership team at strategy consultants Bain and Company and head of that firm’s global mergers and acquisitions. He is co-author of Mastering the Merger, published this past winter by Harvard Business School Press, as well as numerous articles in Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Strategy and Leadership, Acquisitions Monthly, and The European Business Journal. Rovit earned a master of business administration degree from Harvard Business School, and a master of arts from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University where he studied military strategy and international business. He also is a graduate of Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy.
Henley has served in a variety of executive roles with Swift since joining the company in 1993 as vice president, Product Management. Most recently, he was president of Swift and Company’s North American Red Meats before serving as interim co-CEO prior to the hiring of Rovit. Henley began his career with a 25-year stint with John Morrell and Company, first as an industrial engineer upon graduation from South Dakota State University. He eventually worked his way up to vice president of Pork and vice president of International Sales before joining Swift.
August 2005 Render