The organizations said the initiative aims to support the progress of both corporate sustainability programs and climate-smart initiatives with key stakeholders.
Feed ingredients and additives remain among the least measured and documented sustainability components in the US food supply chain, according to IFEEDER.
“The [US] The feed industry has supported the development of the Global Feed Institute (GFLI) database to advance understanding of the environmental impacts of feed ingredients. However, there is still a need to integrate data points into a comprehensive and coordinated strategy for exchanging information within animal food supply chains.”
This project looks to develop supporting resources for information exchange, including standardization and methodologies, and to provide life-cycle data up and down the production chain, according to the institute.
Alongside the life cycle assessment, the effort will explore the scope of sustainability guidelines and resources the US feed and pet food sector needs for continuous improvement.
No matter where they are in terms of their sustainability journey, feed manufacturers want to be able to do more to help their customers achieve their climate pledges and meet changing consumer expectations, said IFEEDER CEO Lara Moody.
The tools generated by the project should allow companies that have not yet embarked on their sustainability journeys to scale up quickly, and producers with more mature sustainability programs moving forward, added Matt Sutton-Vermeulen, Director of Context Network.
Interim work cycles
The Sustainability Roadmap project consists of three phases, the first phase of which focuses on developing a gap analysis to understand the obstacles that prevent companies from launching or measuring progress in sustainability programmes.
Qualitative and quantitative research work will be conducted during the second phase, with the participation of selected scientific advisors focused on environmental sustainability in the feed industry together with members of the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and key supply chain advisors.
The final stage will be to develop key findings, tools and strategies that the industry can use to enhance its sustainability programs and communicate its vision to key influencers.
IFEEDER has two main concentrations:
- Funding critical feed and pet food research to support AFIA’s legislative and regulatory positions
- Develop appropriate messages to policy makers, influencers on consumers and stakeholders around the feed and pet food industries
IFEEDER invites more companies to participate in the initiative.
To date, Arm and Hammer Animal and Food Production, Animix, Anipro/Xtraformance Feeds, Belstra Milling, Berg + Schmidt America, Bill Barr & Company, CJ Bio America, ED&F Man Liquid Products, Elanco Animal Health, Kemin, The Mosaic Company, United Animal Health Corporation, Westway Feed Products and Zinpro Corporation have joined in this effort.
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