IFEEDER expands Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit

USA – The Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) has enhanced its Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit with new materials that address 16 key sustainability issues. 

Founded in 2009 by the AFIA, IFEEDER supports education and research initiatives in the animal food industry to ensure access to a safe, healthy, and sustainable food supply.

Launched in 2023, the sustainability toolkit aims to provide practical resources for business leaders in the animal feed and pet food industry, helping them develop internal sustainability programs, respond to stakeholder requests, and communicate their sustainability efforts effectively.

“As the animal food industry continues to navigate the complex landscape of sustainability, the need for well-defined, actionable guidance has never been more important,” said Lara Moody, executive director of IFEEDER. 

“This new resource addresses that need by describing the scope of each issue in conjunction with real-world examples underway within the industry.”

The expanded resource, released on July 22, offers detailed descriptions of each issue, insights into their potential industry value, and illustrative examples from industry members showcasing tangible benefits. These issues span three main pillars: people, planet, and governance.

The toolkit, including the new materials, is available on the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) website for free to members and IFEEDER donors and for purchase to nonmembers through AFIA’s online store.

The project, part of IFEEDER’s Sustainability Road Map initiative, was completed in collaboration with industry members and students from Iowa State University, led by Dr. Kurt Rosentrater. It received generous support from Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Kent Nutrition Group.

During the project’s first phase, IFEEDER and the Sustainability Roadmap Advisory Committee worked with The Context Network to conduct industry research and develop several new industry resources.

These resources included a definition of “sustainability” for IFEEDER, and this toolkit of insights and resources to help companies establish their internal sustainability programs, respond to stakeholders’ requests, and communicate their sustainability stories.

The toolkit’s insights identified several knowledge and data gaps that hinder the industry’s meaningful progress toward reducing its environmental footprint.

On 28th February, the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) announced that it was starting the second phase of its Sustainability Road Map Project. 

So far, the Sustainability Road Map Project has been pivotal for dozens of US animal food companies starting or advancing their sustainability journeys.

The project’s first phase identified many objectives related to data and information management, sustainability research, life cycle assessments (LCA), and educational resources and training; the second phase is focused on implementing them.

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