Feedstuffs in Focus

The Fed increased Interest rates this week as part of its plan to tackle inflation. The modest rate hike is part of a strategy to ensure a smooth "glide path" for the economy, which heated up in part due to the unprecedented events of the COVID-19 pandemic and the attendant federal efforts to help consumers and businesses stay afloat. But what will that rate hike mean for agriculture? We...

Despite strong growth in both the agriculture and construction sectors over the past 18 months, fewer equipment companies are optimistic about that growth trend continuing in 2022, particularly given the ongoing issues with inflation, workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions. With costs on the rise across the manufacturing and logistics sectors, is long-term growth in agricultural equipmen...

Animal disease outbreaks are one of the key challenges facing livestock producers and veterinarians. State veterinarians and related animal health officials at the state level play a critical role in managing outbreaks of certain diseases that could devastate the industry. Significant progress has been made in recent years but there is more that needs to be done to support the preparedness and pla...

The COVID-19 pandemic created a complex and confusing labor market on a national scale, and the agriculture sector is feeling the strain both literally and figuratively. Combatting employee burnout is critical to the bottom line of the business, and something that isn’t easily done given the generational diversity seen in the modern workforce. While much of the current labor challenge centers on s...

Beef prices – like all food prices – have increased as the inflationary story in the marketplace unfolds. Thus far consumers haven’t balked at paying higher prices for their favorite center-of-plate protein, but how long can that demand hold out? And what is the outlook for the cattle producer as feed costs escalate, too? Don Close is an agricultural economist, and senior animal protein analyst wi...

After the Supreme Court ruled that the Biden Administration had overstepped its authority in mandating COVID-19 vaccination for businesses, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration withdrew its vaccine and testing rules. So where does that leave private employers, and do feed manufacturers and large livestock operations have any regulatory responsibilities with regard to the ongoing pande...

A great nutrition program is foundational to success in livestock production, and mineral supplementation is a big part of proper nutrition. One company says it has pioneered a unique approach to mineral supplementation that will lead to improved daily gains and profitability. Neil Bumgarner is the Director of Sales for Ridley Block Operations, an Alltech Company, and manager of the Blueprint anim...

Two years into a global pandemic, the challenges facing the animal protein and animal feed industries are many, from labor and logistics to inflationary pressures and ongoing human health concerns. Leading a global company in this space is no small task in the best of years, let alone in the current environment. At this week’s International Production and Processing Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, leade...

To many in agriculture, the letters E-P-A may as well spell a four-letter word. Long a source of frustration for landowners and producers of a variety of commodities, the Environmental Protection Agency plays an important role in regulating a variety of aspects of food production and natural resource stewardship. At this week’s Farm Futures Business Summit, hosted by our sister publication Farm Fu...

You’ve seen the signs; from your local diner to national retail chains and seemingly every business in between, the “help wanted” sign is practically everywhere you turn.  Although the COVID pandemic created a complex and confusing labor market on a national scale, the agriculture sector has dealt with labor challenges for a long time, particularly in the areas of live animal production and logist...

The plant-based market continues to grow, particularly in the human and pet sectors. Along with that growth new premium market opportunities for soybean growers are emerging. In this segment, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead catches up with Bruce Bennett, president of ingredients at Benson Hill, to talk about those market opportunities in general as well as the things the company is doing to expan...

The National Pork Industry Foundation has announced the Neil Dierks Scholarship, created to support students seeking a graduate degree, in a field related to the pork industry, at a land grant university.  As CEO of the National Pork Producers Council for more than 30 years, Neil Dierks devoted himself to U.S. pork producers’ well-being.  His 2021 retirement created an opportunity to honor his con...

PRRS and PEDv are diseases of particular concern to the swine industry, but they are far from the only economically important diseases of note in pork production. How big is the financial impact of these disease challenges for the average producer, and what are some management strategies that can help producers reduce or eliminate these pressures from their herd? That’s the subject of this week’s...

“Help Wanted” signs seem to hang in the window of every business in America these days, and the labor shortage is a frequent topic of discussion on the nightly news. How has the pandemic changed the job market for companies in the essential industries of animal agriculture and construction?  In this episode we talk about the challenges employers face in the agriculture industry, and the outlook fo...

Standing at the intersection of nutrition, technology, science, policy, and consumer values is our food system. It’s a complex system that consistently delivers a safe and affordable food supply with a dizzying array of choices to fit a growing list of customer needs and wants. With families across the country gathering around the table to break bread and give thanks this week, let’s take a moment...

Animal welfare has long been a topic of discussion, and even some debate, across the food sector and within agriculture but when both sectors can come together to discuss moving forward, it’s a powerful thing. That is exactly what took place this week in Orlando, Fla., and Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead was on hand and had the opportunity to catch up with symposium organizer Angela Baysinger, DV...

Global exports have become an important part of the U.S. pork industry’s growth in recent decades, and the emergence of African Swine Fever – particularly in China – has had profound impacts on the flow of pork products around the world. Recent research funded by the National Pork Board looks at the ways the industry can and should diversify its global marketing strategy to adjust and adapt to tho...

Over the past two decades, U.S. animal protein exports grew from $7.4 billion to $20.7 billion, driven by a combination of strong marketing by the industry and a series of trade negotiations between governments. Today, global trade accounts for 10%-30% of U.S. animal protein production, depending on industry segment. But with the Trump Administration’s harder line on trade changing the tone of U.S...

The dairy market has shifted more toward an emphasis on components in recent years, giving farmers an important incentive to think about the production of those components rather than on the overall volume of milk produced. What can dairy farmers do in terms of management and production to optimize for those components? In this episode we talk with Hannah Tucker, a Ruminant Technical Services Mana...

The term “regenerative agriculture” has become more commonly discussed in recent years, but like many new terms – and like many oft-repeated buzzwords in agriculture and food marketing – it may not be well understood by most people, or even well-defined in general. What does regenerative agriculture mean, and what role does regenerative farming play in the future of the meat industry? In this epis...

Achieving something known as net zero – in other words, balancing the amount of greenhouse gas produced by an activity and the amount removed from the atmosphere – is a key focus of leaders in the global livestock industry and among food manufacturers and retailers. What will it take to achieve net zero, and how will the effort affect food production and consumption around the globe? Pathways to D...

EnTech Solutions has formed a joint venture with Northern Biogas LLC aimed at providing a sustainable energy future utilizing local agriculture, specifically dairy waste. Recently, EnTech added to its clean energy solutions portfolio an active biogas facility in the Middleton, Wis. Utilizing anaerobic digestion, the facility turns organic waste from local dairy farms into renewable energy.  Feedst...

Sustainability is such an oft-discussed topic of conversation in the food space that it’s become a buzzword. Who defines it? What does it mean? Aren’t farmers already doing a lot to improve soil, air and water quality? In this episode we talk with Lauren Brey, managing director of the Farmers for Sustainable Food Coalition. We caught up with Lauren at the World Dairy Expo this week in Madison, Wis...

Between the budget battle, funding the infrastructure bill and an ambitious tax proposal, tens of billions of dollars in the agricultural economy hangs in the balance as legislators in Washington wrangle over signature pieces of President Joe Biden’s domestic policy agenda. In this episode we’ll hear from agriculture policy expert Emily Buckman of the American Farm Bureau Federation, a member of t...

Bacteria are all around us, and the role these microorganisms play in our environment – both on the farm and inside the animals themselves, is an increasingly important area of study in animal science. Quorum sensing is bacteria’s unique biochemical communication system. It’s how bacteria interact and talk with each other. Understanding how that communication works and how we can use it in a varie...