The American Feed Industry Association hosted a two-hour educational session exploring critical issues that worry feed industry professionals. Held Jan. 29 in conjunction with the 2025 International Production & Processing Expo, the “What’s Keeping the Feed Industry Up at Night?” session featured speakers discussing African swine fever, quantitative risk assessments to predict the safety of feed ingredients and the challenges facing animal nutritionists.

"The feed industry operates in a constantly evolving landscape, facing challenges ranging from disease threats to ingredient quality and regulatory pressures," said Paul Davis, AFIA’s director of quality, animal food safety and education. "This session provided an opportunity for industry leaders to gain insights and proactive strategies to address these pressing concerns."

Jordan Gebhart, associate professor of swine production at Kansas State University, discussed the economic and biosecurity implications of ASF, should the virus be detected in the United States. He highlighted the feed industry’s crucial role in ASF preparedness, as research indicates the virus can potentially survive in certain feed ingredients and spread within feed mills. Gebhart outlined efforts by the US Swine Health Improvement Plan to establish feed biosecurity standards, including a pilot program assessing current practices for sourcing ingredients from ASF-affected regions. He also reviewed ongoing surveillance efforts and the US Department of Agriculture’s response plan for ASF detection.

Fernando Sampedro, assistant professor of veterinary population medicine at the University of Minnesota, presented on the application of quantitative risk assessments in animal feed safety. He explained how these tools, qualitative risk assessments and predictive modeling techniques, help estimate virus concentrations in feed ingredients by analyzing factors such as initial virus levels, processing steps and storage conditions. Sampedro emphasized the importance of using a proactive approach to mitigate viral threats in the industry.

John Halley of J Halley Poultry Consulting LLC shared insights from his experience as a poultry nutritionist, addressing key concerns in poultry feed formulation and management. He highlighted the importance of accurate nutrient predictions, optimizing feed efficiency, maintaining ingredient quality and preventing feed delivery errors. Halley advised the need for strong training, preparation and communication within feed mills to mitigate these challenges effectively.

Source: IPPE