Now two decades into the “new” millennium, there is little question the livestock industry has changed, and continues to grow and evolve as time goes by. While technological improvements get a great deal of attention, one nutritionist says the evolution of genetics over the past 10 years has radically changed the way the swine industry feeds, houses and manages the modern hog.In this episode we talk with Jeffrey Knott of Ideal Animal Nutrition about the animal he calls “The Millennial Pig,” and discuss what makes this pig different from its ancestors and forebears.Knott is the founder and principal nutritionist of Ideal Animal Nutrition; he has more than 15 years of industry experience and is a specialist in providing technical nutritional support to swine producers around the world. After completing his bachelor’s degree in Animal Science at North Dakota State University, he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in swine nutrition from the University of Minnesota. He has vast domestic and international swine nutrition and business experience, having spent 10 years with a national nutrition company prior to founding IDEAL Animal Nutrition. He spoke with Feedstuffs about his views on the modern hog, and how understanding its genetic evolution and potential can help nutritionists and producers make better decisions about feeding and managing this “Millennial Pig.”This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by Topigs Norsvin, the second largest swine genetics company in the world. Topigs Norsvin’s unique breeding program is designed to accelerate genetic progress at the customer level by creating innovative products and solutions that benefit the entire pork production chain. For example, Topigs Norsvin has made natural selection for robustness a priority in the breeding programs for its TN Tempo terminal sire and TN70 parent female. Selecting for for specific natural resistance to PRRS, as well as overall robustness characteristics, to further enhance the production performance of TN Tempo and TN70 offspring. The robustness advantage of the TN Tempo has been verified by independent research. Their customers report improved piglet vitality, uniformity, and barn throughput as well.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.Learn more about TN Tempo at T-N-tempo-dot-com, and to learn about TN70, visit TN70-dot-TopigsNorsvin-dot-com.

A new year, a new way of communicating, and a new benefit to Feedstuffs subscribers: Feedstuffs 365, a new virtual community and events platform for the feed and livestock industry, launches later this month. In addition to delivering live, interactive presentations and discussions on the day’s leading news and technical information, the new service also includes a new, more in-depth look at feed ingredient prices around the world.In this episode, Feedstuffs publisher Sarah Muirhead explains more about the new platform, and the new benefits to Feedstuffs subscribers, launching January 25.Additionally, Feedstuffs subscribers now have access to a new digital feed ingredient pricing tool. Subscribers have long relied on the Feedstuffs database of feed ingredient prices from around the country. We’re taking this data to the next level by partnering with Glowlit to bring subscribers unprecedented access to real-time prices for a range of feed ingredients and additives. Instead of weekly updates, prices will now be available 24/7 as they are reported. All charts are live and interactive and have been populated with decades of Feedstuffs price history.Also in this episode, Glowlit president Guy Soreq describes the new tool as essentially an online crowdsourcing platform for feed ingredient market intelligence. Through its technology, Glowlit allows market professionals like you to anonymously benchmark your prices against other verified deals in the surrounding area. It is all possible with a simple click on a product name. This new price tool can be found under the Ingredient Market Price navigation link at Feedstuffs.com, and we’ll feature weekly discussion and analysis of pricing trends via Feedstuffs 365.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

When it comes to imported feed ingredients, it is important for feed manufacturers and livestock producers to have as much information as possible related to that ingredient and its origin. At stake is the health of our nation’s herds as unapproved ingredients can introduce significant disease risks. Unlike in Canada and now in Australia, the U.S. lacks any requirement that a supplier or trader confirm each imported biological ingredient is approved for animal feed use. Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead recently caught up with Dr. Scott Dee of Pipestone Veterinary Services to talk about how some countries are taking biosecurity to the next level and what needs to be done here in the U.S. to put in place those same safeguards.This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website UnitedANH.com.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook. 

While the world has been focused on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, a small but diverse group of members of the food supply chain gathered to evaluate if there are enough shared goals and beliefs on climate policy to speak on the issue with a unified voice for agriculture.In the past, climate legislation has failed in the U.S. in no small measure because the agriculture and forestry industries weren’t unified on the issue, and didn’t have a seat at the table. In an effort to correct that, the Food & Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) was formed in February 2020 by four groups that now co-chair the alliance: American Farm Bureau Federation, Environmental Defense Fund, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives and National Farmers Union. The alliance has since expanded to include FMI – The Food Industry Assn., National Alliance of Forest Owners, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and The Nature Conservancy.In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Feedstuffs policy editor Jacqui Fatka talks with Chuck Connor, CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, about the work of the Alliance, including the more than 40 recommendations the group developed on climate policy this year. RELATED STORY: Unlikely bedfellows unite on ag climate policyThis episode is sponsored by Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health. Balchem has launched a new podcast called the Real Science Exchange. Get to know top researchers like you’ve never known them before: Search for “Real Science Exchange” on your favorite podcast platform.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

In 1987, when Congress voted to keep the Farm Credit System going with an infusion of funds, a contingency was that each of the system institutions needed to have a young, beginner and small farmer program. With the average age of the U.S. farmer pegged at 57.5 years, that young, beginner and small farmer program is a particular focus of the current chairman of the Farm Credit Administration.In this episode, Feedstuffs  editor Jacqui Fatka talks with Farm Credit Administration Chairman and CEO Glen Smith, an Iowa farmer who has led the regulatory arm of the federal Farm Credit apparatus since 2017. Smith said he sees a common theme in successful young and beginning farmer programs: a good relationship with the Farm Service Agency (FSA), in particular with regard to access to that agency’s guaranteed loan programs for beginning farmers.RELATED STORY: FSA, Farm Credit Administration refocus on younger farmersThis episode is sponsored by Hog Slat; from cleanup to startup, we're here to supply the products you need.  As close as your local Hog Slat store or order online at www.hogslat.com. For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

U.S. pork exports to China skyrocketed in 2020 as African swine fever (ASF) eroded two-thirds of China’s hog herd and drove local hog prices to record highs. A new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange notes that exports to greater China now accounts for nearly 8% of U.S. pork production, compared to just 2% in 2018.However, the report also suggests that as China makes progress rebuilding its hog herd, this jeopardizes the U.S. export picture over the next three to five years.  Will Sawyer is an economist with CoBank who authored the bank’s recent outlook for pork exports. He told Feedstuffs editor Krissa Welshans that although ASF will likely remain an issue in China’s hog industry for years, if not decades the financial incentive to expand the country’s domestic production is quite compelling. Producer margins in China averaged hundreds of dollars per head for several months in 2020.With that in mind, massive investment in building Chinese production facilities should push U.S. producers to look for additional customers — at home and abroad — with an eye toward a day when China’s purchases return to historic norms.RELATED STORY: CoBank gives U.S. pork industry advice as China rebuildsThis episode is sponsored by HogSlat. From cleanup to startup, HogSlat is there to supply the products you need.  As close as your local Hog Slat store or order online at www.hogslat.com.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

Kicking off this year's holiday season will be a couple of  real turkeys. That is, turkeys raised  by National Turkey Federation chairman Ron Kardel and his wife Susie  on their farm near Walcott, Iowa. They have produced the birds for this year's National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation at the White House.The Kardels will be accompanying the birds to the White House this week and presenting them to President Donald Trump, who will pardon them in a tradition that dates back many years.Following their trip to the nation's capitol, the turkeys will reside at their new home on the campus of Iowa State University.Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead caught up with the Kardels this week to find out more about what goes into raising turkeys capable of such public display, how the birds are named and even a bit about  how the pandemic has impacted the turkey industry this holiday season.Take a listen and Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Feed ingredients imported into the U.S. from countries with known foreign animal disease risks, such as African swine fever (ASF), present a threat to the U.S. pork industry. But just how great is this risk and where exactly does it originate when it comes to entry into the U.S.?To answer those questions, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead catches up with Dr. Scott Dee of Pipestone Veterinary Services for this segment of Feedstuffs in Focus. They discuss a recent analysis of soya-based feed ingredients from ASF-positive countries focused on identifying the most common entry points via our nation’s seaports. Dee believes that access to current and future information on this topic will enhance the accuracy of risk assessments and drive the continual development of efficacious feed-based mitigation strategies that will ultimately bring the health status of the country of origin into the forefront of philosophies regarding the global trade of feed ingredients. Take a listen. RELATED STORY: Analysis evaluates ASF risk through U.S. portsFor more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

For the first time, the dairy industry has signed an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reinforce "shared values" in the areas of environmental and economic sustainability for dairy farmers.Earlier this month EPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. Lisa Watson, social responsibility officer for the Innovation Center, said the MOU builds on the work of the Dairy Sustainability Alliance, an alliance that brings together farmers, retailers, customers, non-government organizations and government groups to talk about all things related to dairy sustainability.In this episode,  Feedstuffs policy editor Jacqui Fatka talks with Watson about the MOU, and the strides the industry has made in the areas of environmental and economic sustainability in recent years. This episode is sponsored by Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health. Balchem recently launched an extension of the Real Science Lecture Series in podcast form, called the Real Science Exchange. Get to know top researchers like you’ve never known them before: Search for “Real Science Exchange” on your favorite podcast platform today.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

The “Wienermobile” is that hot-dog-on-a-bun-shaped vehicle long used by the Oscar Mayer company to promote and advertise its products in the U.S. The first Wienermobile was created by Oscar Mayer’s nephew Carl G. Mayer in 1936. Today, there are six such giant hot dog vehicles that travel the nation promoting the brand and creating miles of smile.The Wienermobile concept has evolved over the years, so much so that in June 2017, the company added several new hot-dog-themed vehicles to its line, including the WienerCycle, WienerRover and WienerDrone.Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead caught up with a couple of “Hotdoggers” while they were in the Chicagoland area recently to find out more about this long-standing marketing initiative by Oscar Mayer and to learn more about the Wienermobile and what it takes to be a hotdogger. In this segment, she is joined by Zach Chatman, professionally known as Zach n Cheese, and Maggie Thomas, otherwise known as Mustard Maggie.Of course, the question of Ketchup or Mustard had to be asked. Grab a hot dog and take a listen! This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website UnitedANH.com.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook. 

Meat, poultry, dairy and grain markets were all rocked by COVID-19 in the early months of 2020, and the ongoing repercussions from the pandemic injected massive uncertainty for farmers throughout the rest of the year. As with a variety of industries, agriculture was the beneficiary of government stimulus efforts coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency.In this episode we talk with the administrator of FSA, the arm of USDA tasked with delivering a variety of financial programs enacted by Congress and delivered through the Department, about the alphabet soup of programs designed to help mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on the farm economy.Richard Fordyce is a fourth-generation farmer from Bethany, Missouri, and has served as FSA Administrator since May of 2018 after serving as the state executive director for FSA in Missouri and as Missouri Director of Agriculture. In a conversation with Feedstuffs policy editor Jacqui Fatka, Fordyce explains the difference between the two Coronavirus Food Assistance Programs approved by Congress and how much of the more than $30 million allocated for the programs has been paid to farmers through mid-October.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

COVID-19 injected massive disruption into the meat supply chain throughout the first half of 2020. From plant-shutdown supply shocks to foodservice-shutdown demand shocks, the animal protein markets have been rocked on a variety of fronts. But what about the consumers of meat? How has a global pandemic and relatively unprecedented economic uncertainty affected their purchasing habits and preferences?In this episode we talk with one of the foremost academic experts on consumer trends and preferences in the meat space, and hear about his research into what meat buyers are thinking about heading into the final months of 2020.Jayson Lusk is Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University.  He earned a BS in Food Technology and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University. He was previously Regents Professor and Willard Sparks Endowed Chair in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University and Assistant Professor at Mississippi State and Purdue.Lusk is a food and agricultural economist who studies what we eat and why we eat it. Since 2000, Lusk has published more than 200 journal articles in peer reviewed journals, including several of the most cited papers in the profession.  He has served on the editorial councils of eight academic journals and published several books on topics ranging from farm animal welfare to consumer reactions to farming practices and technologies.This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by Topigs Norsvin, the second largest swine genetics company in the world. Topigs Norsvin’s unique breeding program is designed to accelerate genetic progress at the customer level by creating innovative products and solutions that benefit the entire pork production chain. To get more information, visit TopigsNorsvin.us.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

COVID-19 caused some significant disruption in the food system in March and April of this year, with consumers stocking up on a number of meat items, and retailers limiting the purchases of a number of staples like eggs and dairy products. That disruption fueled a spike in demand for local meat processing as consumers — many for the first time ever — sought out a small butcher or processor to source their family’s protein needs.Major disruptions can often lead to opportunities for new entrants in established markets. One midwestern agribusiness concern is hoping to leverage the renewed interest in local processing into opportunities for farmers, including beef producers. In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, editor Jacqui Fatka talks with Karla Klingner, CEO of Palindromes, a Missouri-based company focused on reimagining the agriculture value chain. Klingner discusses some of their work on establishing new meat processing facilities in the Midwest – one each dedicated to handling beef, pork, poultry and sheep – that are larger than most local facilities, but not on scale with traditional national or regional packers.The goal? To add more value to farmers through what Klingner describes as controlling and verifying the “chain of custody” in the meat value chain.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

With milk protein values near all-time highs, increasing milk protein is one way dairy producers can improve income over feed costs. A solid nutritional strategy will not only increase milk protein, but also improve producer profitability.Cornell University professor Mike Van Amburgh is an expert in rumen function, nitrogen metabolism and fiber digestibility. With the rise in milk protein value, Van Amburgh says nutritionists and dairy producers need to look for ways to take advantage of these premiums.In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Van Amburgh talks about his research, and explains some of the tactics nutritionists should implement to capture as much of the milk protein premium as possible while optimizing income over feed costs.This episode is sponsored by Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health. Join Balchem for their Real Science Lecture series, a weekly webinar series featuring ruminant nutrition experts discussing vital topics for today’s dairy industry. You can watch Mike Van Amburgh’s presentation on milk protein at BalchemANH.com/RealScience.

A combination of hot temperatures, dry conditions and poor forest management practices have resulted in another year of devastating losses for farmers and ranchers in the West. Wildfires have already burned through millions of acres and continue to rage, with rains not expected for weeks. Smoke alone has caused substantial crop and soil damage as well as respiratory issues for livestock. In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Jamie Johansson, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation, about the losses for agriculture to date, mandatory evacuation from his family’s olive and citrus operation and what’s being pushed at state and federal levels to reduce wildfire risk and support those hard hit. As Johansson explains it will not be an easy fix but rather one that will take a near total mindset shift and generations of change.This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus  is sponsored by Hog Slat and Georgia Poultry. New for 2020, the Classic Pullet feed pan. Built to handle the most aggressive birds, the Classic Pullet features an anti-rotation clip, feed shut-off slide, and a shallow divided pan. Learn more at HogSlat.com.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

The coronavirus pandemic resulted in delays and extended shutdowns at numerous packing plants, all the while straining the pork industry as market hogs had to be held in facilities longer than expected.To minimize sorting losses and keep as many pigs in market condition as possible, the feed industry stepped up to help hog producers adjust their rations. The goal was that of reduced growth rates and feed intakes. In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Dr. Jim Smith, senior technical swine nutritionist at Kent Nutrition, to discuss how amino acid imbalances can aid in the slowing of pig growth. Specifically, they discuss the reduction of DL-methionine in rations of late finishing pigs.This episode is sponsored by Hog Slat; from cleanup to startup, we're here to supply the products you need.  As close as your local Hog Slat store or order online at www.hogslat.com.  For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs .com.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

What has COVID-19 meant for the dairy checkoff? Where is the dairy industry and dairy checkoff heading in these pandemic times? In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Barb O’Brien, president of DMI and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. We are more than seven months into a pandemic that has interrupted the daily operations of schools, food services/restaurants as well as some dairy producers as they have struggled to keep their team members on the farm safe and healthy. Pizza has been a category of strength for the dairy industry. DMI and the dairy checkoff have worked hard to leverage corporate and regional relationships to eliminate in-store signs that limited milk purchases. What about the school meal programs? What adjustments have been necessary there? Has COVID-19 had an impact on the sustainability and the environmental goals that the dairy industry is pursuing? Take a listen as we talk about this and more.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook. 

Fluid milk consumption among children is vital, as adequate consumption of dairy products, especially during childhood, has beneficial health outcomes later in life. These benefits include reduced risk of osteoporosis, hypertension, obesity and cancer in adulthood.Milk consumption among children has been declining for decades, so understanding and fulfilling the needs of children is crucial to reverse the decline. In an article appearing in theJournal of Dairy Science, scientists from North Carolina State University and Cornell University studied key contributors to increasing milk consumption among children. Factors evaluated in the study included food trends, nutritional and school meal program requirements, children’s perceptions and preferences, and environmental influences. Among these influences, flavor and habit were the primary drivers for long-term milk consumption. In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with senior author MaryAnne Drake, PhD, department of food, bioprocessing and nutrition sciences, North Carolina State University, and Dr. David Barbano, professor of food science at Cornell University about their ongoing research.         “Making milk more appealing to children, having schools include milk in their meal plans, and increasing the types of milk available in schools are all positive options to encourage children consume fluid milk and receive those health benefits,” said Drake. “The findings in this study, however, reveal critical insights that will aid in efforts to increase milk consumption among children.”This episode is sponsored by Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health – join Balchem for their Real Science Lecture series, a weekly webinar series featuring ruminant nutrition experts discussing vital topics for today’s dairy industry. You can learn more at BalchemANH.com/RealScience.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook. 

Rural voters played an important role in the 2016 presidential election and appear poised to do so again in 2020. According to a recent Farm Futures survey, three-quarters of U.S. farmers say they will vote to reelect the President despite ongoing trade disruptions, falling grain prices and rising farm bankruptcies.One former U.S. Senator says farmers were not always a reliable voting bloc for the Republican Party and is trying to better understand the concerns of rural voters in general.After the 2018 election, former U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Donnelly of Indiana founded the One Country Project. The project does “social listening” on political issues to learn how those insights can be translated into policy efforts. For example, recent work discovered that rural Americans are deeply concerned about the Post Office, as well as access to health care and veterans’ issues. Senator Heitkamp, a Democrat, sat down with Feedstuffs policy editor Jacqui Fatka to discuss the goals of the project, as well as what the organization has learned about rural Americans’ attitudes regarding COVID-19 heading into the final weeks of the campaign cycle.This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website UnitedANH.com.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs  online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

The University of Idaho’s Center for Agriculture, Food & the Environment – or CAFE – took a major step forward this spring with the launch of design and planning for a $22.5 million research dairy near Rupert. The dairy is scheduled for completion in 2023 and to begin milking cows by 2024.The dairy will house 2,000 cows and allow researchers to better integrate animal and plant agriculture, said Michael Parrella, University of Idaho College of Agricultural & Life Sciences dean. Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead recently talked with Parrella to find more about the dairy and a related demonstration farm. The research dairy and its related farm will address the connection between plant and animal agriculture, Parrella said. The 640-acre site near Rupert will be among the best equipped sites in the nation to find solutions.The dairy is the largest of four components that make up the center. It includes a discovery center and offices near Jerome and expanded food processing research and education with the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website UnitedANH.com.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

The role of animal feed as a vehicle for the transport and transmission of viral diseases was first identified during the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) epidemic in North America. Since that time, various feed additives have been evaluated at the laboratory level to measure their effect on viral viability and infectivity in contaminated feed using bioassay piglet models. While a valid first step, the conditions of these studies were not representative of commercial swine production.In this episode, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Dr. Scott Dee of Pipestone Applied Research, about his “ice-block” challenge study and how it was set up to evaluate the ability of some 15 feed additive products to mitigate the risk of virus-contaminated feed. Dee say the model involved freezing the viruses in ice and simulate real-world conditions on the farm.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

Activated medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) support feed biosecurity as they can weaken some viruses lurking in feed before they even enter the pigs' system.According to Stacie Crowder, monogastric product manager with PMI Nutrition, a good place to start is with a tool that does more than one job such as medium-chain fatty acids. Multifaceted, MCFAs work in more than one way to protect pigs from bacteria and viruses and support pig performance. Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead caught up recently with Crowder to talk about how MCFAs serve multiple roles when incorporated into swine rations. Among other things, Crowder explained that, activated MCFAs can work in feed to weaken pathogens before they reach the pig. They also work inside the pig to support immune activity, gut health and pig performance.In this episode you'll also find out how you as a producer or feed company can choose the right MCFA for your operation. For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

Class III milk prices whipsawed between $12 and $24 per hundredweight from May to July as the effects of COVID-19 continued to work its way through the supply chain and on consumer demand for dairy products. Now five months after widespread adoption of stay-at-home orders and other pandemic mitigation strategies, what is the outlook for the dairy industry in the remaining months of a tumultuous 2020?Mark Stephenson is Director of Dairy Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Director of Wisconsin’s Center for Dairy Profitability. An agricultural economist by trade, he studies milk processing costs and technologies, farm costs and price risk management, as well as dairy policy related to milk pricing and trade. He spoke with Feedstuffs editor Krissa Welshans about how the industry is currently navigating a marketplace still struggling with COVID-19, and how a rough forecast is coming together for milk prices and demand in 2021.Stephenson says long-term strategies in the dairy supply chain have been adjusted to short-term timeframes as challenges persist. He explains that product demand and industry fluidity will remain key as the world grapples with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.This episode is sponsored by Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health – join Balchem for their Real Science Lecture series, a weekly webinar series featuring ruminant nutrition experts discussing vital topics for today’s dairy industry. You can learn more at BalchemANH.com/RealScience.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

The egg industry saw drastically different impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic when liquid egg prices decreased from $0.25 to $0.08 per pound while dried egg price decreased from $2.15 to $2.02 per pound. Meanwhile shell egg prices increased from $0.79 to $1.79 per dozen.Liquid egg producers saw dramatic price impacts despite being denied assistance under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in May. Ken Klippen, president of the National Association of Egg Farmers, has been busy writing to USDA administrators to share egg farmers’ story. Another major priority for Klippen is the ongoing mandated shift in the egg industry to require cage-free production systems. “We’re very concerned about what the year 2025 will bring for the egg industry. In a word, it’s going to be chaos,” Klippen said. This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus  is sponsored by Hog Slat and Georgia Poultry. New for 2020, the Classic Pullet feed pan. Built to handle the most aggressive birds, the Classic Pullet features an anti-rotation clip, feed shut-off slide, and a shallow divided pan. Learn more at HogSlat.com.For more information on this and other stories, visit  Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

From endearing bleats and “bahs” to their eco-friendly way of life and nose-to-the-ground work ethic, goats are ideal partners for energy company ComEd.In this episode, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Emily Kramer, Manager of Vegetation Management for Commonwealth Edison, about ComEd’s “Goatternship” program. The program, now in its second year, involves some 200 goats taking their place among the ComEd ranks. They are part of a targeted grazing program and serve as a safer and more sustainable way to clear vegetation in hard-to-reach terrain and, therefore, ensure reliable power. On average, a goat can clear one acre of land a week - equivalent to what a team of people can do with machinery in the same amount of time – but at a much lower cost.To highlight the unique program, which was the first of its kind by an energy company in the Midwest, ComEd launched an educational social media campaign, “Goatternship,” across its social media channels. The “Goatternship” campaign chronicled the experiences of this summer workforce, shared backstories of individual goats - with names like “SelenaGoatmez” and “Great Goatsby”—and played off features of the traditional internship experience, including orientation, on-the-job training and performance reviews.ComEd is a unit of Chicago, Ill.-based Exelon Corp., the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with approximately 10 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70% of the state’s population. This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website UnitedANH.com.For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

In this episode, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Dr. Scott Dee of Pipestone Applied Research about a demonstration project conducted to evaluate viral survival in feed. A demonstration project is a new way of taking what has been learned in the lab and running a trial under more real-world conditions. In this case, Dee took samples of soybean meal, conventional and organic, lysine, choline and vitamin A that were all spiked with a mixture of PRRSV 174, PEDV and SVA and transported for 21 days in a trailer of a commercial transport vehicle. Samples were then tested for viral genome and viability at the end of the transit period. The demonstration project showed that three significant viral pathogens of pigs could survive in select feed ingredients during commercial transport, involving diverse environmental conditions and realistic transit period. Dee talks about the project and the results. This episode is sponsored by Hog Slat; from cleanup to startup, we're here to supply the products you need.  As close as your local Hog Slat store or order online at www.hogslat.com.  Related Feedstuffs article: Time to get personal: Consumer outreach may help protect animal agriculrue in next crisisFor more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs .com.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

Summer grilling season is in full swing, even with the shadow of COVID-19 putting something of a damper on spirits and the size of backyard gatherings. For the pork industry, as consumers fire up the grill, it’s a chance for packers, processors and producers to work through a backlog of hogs created by plant closures necessitated by the spread of the novel coronavirus.In this episode, we talk with one of the industry’s leading young meat scientists about his perspective on the current state of the industry, how the industry is communicating with consumers, and – just for fun – what he’s throwing on the ol’ Weber this summer.Dustin Boler, originally from Spencer, Ind., is a meat scientist for Topigs Norsvin known for his experience with pork quality, growth promoting technologies in meat animals, and contemporary issues facing the meat industry. He has worked with pharmaceutical companies, genetic companies, and with many major meat packers throughout his time in industry and academia. His research has focused generally on topics of meat quality, such as the improvement in tenderness when pork is cooked to 145°F, and determining changes in pork quality as pigs are marketed at increasingly heavier weights.Boler was recently named by the American Meat Science Association as one of the recipients of the organization's Distinguished Achievement Award for 2020. He was specifically recognized for the quality and volume of his research contributions both in industry, and while on faculty at The Ohio State University and the University of Illinois.This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus  is sponsored by Topigs Norsvin, the second largest swine genetics company in the world. Topigs Norsvin’s unique breeding program is designed to accelerate genetic progress at the customer level by creating innovative products and solutions that benefit the entire pork production chain. To get more information, visit TopigsNorsvin.us.For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

The U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement – what some policy watchers have referred to as “NAFTA 2.0” – went into effect July 1. Economists and ag policy groups generally hailed NAFTA and its successor agreement as huge wins for farmers and food producers with Mexico and Canada serving as the largest export markets for U.S. farm products.Former U.S. secretary of agriculture Tom Vilsack serves as the president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. In a wide-ranging interview, Feedstuffs Farm Policy Editor Jacqui Fatka recently spoke with Vilsack about the newly implemented USMCA, as well as discussing the improving U.S. dairy export picture and the dairy industry’s ambitious goals on sustainability and carbon emissions. USMCA went into effect July 1, but already Vilsack warned that the actual implementation of the deal could fall short of the dairy industry’s expectations due to the way Canada interprets the agreement’s tariff rate quotas for dairy. He also discussed the challenges in growing exports to Mexico given that country’s struggling economy.This episode is sponsored by Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health – join Balchem for their Real Science Lecture series, a weekly webinar series featuring ruminant nutrition experts discussing vital topics for today’s dairy industry. You can learn more at BalchemANH.com/RealScience.For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

For shell egg producer, MPS Egg Farms, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant struggles to meet demand, keep grocery store shelves stocked and make sure employees are kept safe.In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Sam Krouse, vice president of business development at MPS, to get his perspective on egg industry challenges brought about by COVID-19. The egg industry’s move to cage-free production and how consumers responded in the marketplace when temporary egg shortage emerged.This episode is sponsored by Hog Slat and Georgia Poultry. New for 2020, the Classic Pullet feed pan: built to handle the most aggressive birds, the Classic Pullet features an anti-rotation clip, feed shut-off slide, and a shallow divided pan. Learn more at HogSlat.com.  For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.    

While all segments of the agriculture industry have felt pain from COVID-19, perhaps no single segment has felt it quite as acutely as the pork industry. From the agony of euthanizing animals due to packing plant closures to the lingering stress of low prices, the nation’s swine producers have been dealt an incredibly raw hand in 2020.What does the outlook for hog prices and pork values hold in the second half of an already unprecedented year?In this edition we talk with Bill Even, CEO of the National Pork Board. Even spoke with Feedstuffs editor Krissa Welshans about the many challenges facing the nation’s hog farmers, and provides an update on current pork slaughter capacity and the backlog of hogs packers are trying to work through.As with all segments of the industry looking forward, the questions and unknowns at this stage are legion. Even describes how The Pork Checkoff is helping producers navigate those unknowns, providing useful tools and information to consumers cooking more pork at home, as well as to farmers struggling to manage a disastrous financial situation. This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website UnitedANH.com.For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook. 

It’s been a tough row to hoe for cattle producers this year, as COVID-19 disrupted the normal flow of beef through the foodservice and retail channels, with restaurants largely closing and grocery stores struggling to meet panic-fueled demand in a relatively short period of time. Cutout values skyrocketed but prices paid for cattle fell as plants slowed line speeds or shutdown altogether as workers fell ill to the novel coronavirus.What does the outlook for cattle and beef values hold in the second half of an already unprecedented year?In this episode we hear from Don Close, senior animal protein analyst with Rabo AgriFinance. Close spoke with Feedstuffs editor Krissa Welshans about the unique challenges facing the nation’s farmers, ranchers and cattle raisers, recapping the wild ride the cattle markets took between February and June of this year, and offering his insights into a path forward for producers and packers.The questions and unknowns at this stage are many, and Close provides a framework for understanding what the cattle industry has in store as we barrel headlong toward 2021. For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook. 

All segments of the agriculture industry have been impacted in some way by COVID-19. From supply chain disruptions to altered consumption patterns; eating at home instead of at restaurants, for example. The animal protein segments have been particularly hard-hit with reduced slaughter capacity driving down prices at the farm level despite higher prices at retail.In this episode we hear from Ethan Lane, vice president of government affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Lane spoke with Feedstuffs policy editor Jacqui Fatka about the unique challenges facing the nation’s farmers, ranchers and cattle raisers, including the organization’s concerns with some of the current government stimulus programs like CFAP.While some estimates project government assistance as high as 36% of farm income this year, to many it feels as though more can be done. Lane outlines some of the things NCBA is asking of Congress and USDA to help bring some additional relief to farm country, and discusses the challenges of asking for more in an election year… and figuring out how to pay for it all. He also explains NCBA's current policy and priorities related to a host of other issues, including Mandatory Price Reporting, Country of Origin Labeling, and voluntary process-verified origin labeling programs.For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.FollowFeedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

The interconnectivity between animals, people and the environment is important and influential when it comes to how the public views animal agriculture overall. In this episode, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Dr. Candace Croney, director of the Center for Animal Welfare Science at Purdue University, about One Welfare and how when entities do not work together harmoniously, gaps and vulnerabilities result that can be potentially problematic for animal agriculture and society as a whole. Consumer trust is put at risk. People have legitimate concerns about food animals and the current animal production systems that give them the animal products they enjoy, and those concerns should be heard and addressed. “There really needs to be a better mechanism for dialogue,” says Croney.Likewise, she points out that animal agriculture has ethical obligations to everyone it serves. “I think what's sad, and what's been lost in some of the conversations that have taken place about food chain fracturing and vulnerabilities and animal welfare concerns is the people factor, and, whether one wants to recognize it or not, that is what’s very much embedded in all of these conversations.”For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.FollowFeedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.    

Nate Franzén, president of the agri-business division for First Dakota National Bank, had some optimism coming into 2020 as producers were positioning themselves to be viable in a lower commodity market and saw some hope on improved trade relations. Although that all changed with the introduction of COVID-19 to the market, the financial fundamentals remain the same. “I always go back to the fundamentals when we get into a challenging environment like this and control what's controllable,” Franzén said. “I think it’s really important you don’t get too caught up in those things that we have very little control over.”Instead, farmers need to focus their energy and effort into what they can do to give themselves the best potential opportunity to work through today's environment. The balance sheet offers the staying power to weather bumps in the cycles or bumps in the road whether it’s Mother Nature or the markets. Working capital has been dwindling down in this down cycle, but Franzén said there are still opportunities to bolster your working capital position. He also discusses updating your budget as conditions change and looking to leverage debt. This is significantly helped by government payments this year, which could approach as 40 to 60% of a potential Schedule F for farmers this year. Finally, it’s important not to equate net worth with self-worth. Often farmers want to put their heads down and just go it alone and figure things out, but these challenging times require farmers to lean on experts they can trust. “The people that are the strongest who perform the best, they lean on others. They lean on their advisors and they have an advisory team around them and see seeking advice as a strength, not a weakness.”This episode is sponsored by Hog Slat and Georgia Poultry. New for 2020, the Classic Pullet feed pan: built to handle the most aggressive birds, the Classic Pullet features an anti-rotation clip, feed shut-off slide, and a shallow divided pan. Learn more at HogSlat.com.  For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

It’s time for livestock and poultry producers to better connect with consumers on the issues and more actively engage and communicate with consumers as to why they do what they do, according to David Ortega, associate professor in the department of agricultural, food and resource economics at Michigan State University, and Danielle Ufer a doctoral candidate at Michigan State. In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, they share their insight with Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead and discuss how consumer outreach could help protect animal agriculture when the next crisis hits.Ortega and Ufer are in the middle of a three-year study looking specifically at consumer preference and attitudes toward animal agriculture. They believe the future of animal agriculture depends on what steps farmers are allowed to take moving forward and consumer attitudes toward those practices and technologies. This, they say, may well be pivotal in herd and market restoration, particularly as the industry works its way out of the current COVID-19 pandemic.This episode is sponsored by Hog Slat; from cleanup to startup, we're here to supply the products you need.  As close as your local Hog Slat store or order online at www.hogslat.com.  Related Feedstuffs article: Time to get personal: Consumer outreach may help protect animal agriculrue in next crisisFor more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.    

The entire meat supply chain was buffeted by COVID-19. From major disruptions in foodservice consumption to panic buying at retail, the ripples of pandemic-related demand shocks were felt acutely in the early days of the crisis. And then as employees at packing plants fell ill in greater numbers, the supply-side shocks to the system only exacerbated an already frustrating situation for producers, packers, marketers and customers.In this episode we talk with one of the industry’s foremost experts in meat marketing and consumer messaging around meat about how consumers are reacting to the pandemic, including some surprising insights into millennials and panic pandemic purchasing.Michael Uetz is one of the managing principals of Midan Marketing, a firm providing strategic marketing and consumer research services to help the meat industry sell more fresh meat. Uetz manages the firm’s Chicago office, and is responsible for establishing and maintaining Midan’s vision and strategic direction. He also leads the firm’s proprietary and client-driven meat consumer research projects, which over the past three months have focused in large part on consumer reactions to the novel coronavirus and ways the meat industry can reassure consumers about the safety of the U.S. meat supply chain.Articles Referenced in This Episode:Self-Quarantine Reflections: Two Action Steps for the Meat IndustryMillennials Driving Pandemic Meat Purchasing [Infographic]Eight Ways to Reassure Consumers the U.S. Meat Supply Chain is SecureChaos Follows Crisis: What We Can ExpectThis episode of Feedstuffs In Focus  is sponsored by Topigs Norsvin, the second largest swine genetics company in the world. Topigs Norsvin’s unique breeding program is designed to accelerate genetic progress at the customer level by creating innovative products and solutions that benefit the entire pork production chain. To get more information, visit TopigsNorsvin.US, and to learn more about the TN Tempo line visit TNTempo.com.For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on the economy, many businesses have been forced to furlough staff or close their doors altogether. Even companies able to stay afloat during this time have experienced financial setbacks from which they will take years to recover. While government subsidies are available for many businesses, available funds run out quickly and can take weeks or months to make it to the business owner. In the meantime, businesses who can’t wait are forced to make tough decisions. Also in the news of late have been stories on how businesses thought they were covered from an insurance standpoint but it turns out they were not. COVID-19 and other such business slowdowns are not among those things that generally trigger payment under a typical business policy.James Allen Insurance’s CEO Tim Craig saw a need to cover businesses experiencing this hurt and launched the Pandemic Insurance Policy in March. The policy covers added out-of-pocket expenses and lost revenue associated with the outbreak of disease. Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead caught up with Craig this week to talk insurance and COVID-19.He noted that while the nation’s food and hospitality establishments have been hit the hardest, some farmers, agribusinesses and, of course, packing plants also have felt the strain. Among other things, Craig noted that his company’s new pandemic policy got its roots from animal disease policy coverage created by the company several years back to protect livestock producers in the unfortunate outbreak of African swine fever and several cattle diseases. For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

During the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Outlook forum in late February, Feedstuffs policy editor Jacqui Fatka sat down with Corwin Heatwole, founder and CEO of Shenandoah Valley Organic, a relatively new organic poultry producer in the Mid-Atlantic region. A sixth-generation poultry farmer, Heatwole sought out a way to revolutionize the profitability and the structure of his own farms. Rather than grow for a larger integrator, he launched Shenandoah Valley Organic in 2012 as a small-scale organic farm—raising just 300 chickens. He then turned to other local producers to add to his operation. He says the company's “Farmer Focus” business model emerged from conversations with local farmers about the potential of creating a new kind of company. The innovative contract model allows farmers ownership of their chickens, their feed, and control of their farming operations. Heatwole said this ownership concept is very important to give farmers more than increased profitability – it also gives farmers something they are very proud of, including the husbandry and care they’re able to deliver to animals. This allows Shenandoah Valley to further transfer that ownership to treat farmers as true partners and allow them to manage their own risk. “This ensures farms are profitable and sustainable for the next generation,” he said. In 2014 SVO launched its own processing plant, helping increase organic product offerings to consumers through food and farming partnerships as well as through larger retailers such as Costco.This was recorded in late February, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In an update at the end of April, Heatwole reported that the company’s people are healthy and orders are strong since it predominantly services the retail sector. “We have seen a new wave of organic purchasers as people who like to eat healthy were forced to cook at home and this should sustain well past the pandemic." Heatwole said. "As you can imagine, retail sales have increased and food service has decreased, leaving us in a very blessed position as anyone else should be that services the retail category."For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

No doubt about it. It’s a challenging time for our nation’s hog producers. With so much market uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic, many are struggling and facing tough, heart-wrenching decisions.According to Jesse McCoy, business unit specialist, water treatment/animal safety, with Neogen, one thing that producers should be paying particular attention to right now is biosecurity. He believes it is time to ramp up for the safety of the pigs and staff.In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with McCoy about the benefits that can come from making sure facilities are properly cleaned and disinfected. Also discussed are different ways to approach the overall cleaning of a facility as well as water and feed lines and why that is critical to pig and staff health and safety. This episode is sponsored by Hog Slat; from cleanup to startup, we're here to supply the products you need.  As close as your local Hog Slat store or order online at www.hogslat.com.  Recent Feedstuffs in Focus Episodes on COVID-19Talking COVID-19 and the impact on livestock marketsNCBA CEO talks COVID19, Brazil beef, GIPSAFrontline observations from animal food industry in COVID-19 battleFarm Bureau economist discusses COVID-19 impactCOVID-19 emergency school nutrition campaign takes on hungerCOVID-19 takes toll on packing plant workers, operationsPigs saving lives hard hit by COVID-19Water quality a matter of life or deathFor more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.   

Iowa might seem an unlikely location to harvest fish, but it’s the lack of fish there that makes it the perfect place, says Joe Sweeney, CEO of Eagle’s Catch. Located in Ellsworth, Iowa, his company is one of the largest fish farms in the nation and growing.The market for tilapia in the U.S. is dominated by imports. In fact, only about 5% of tilapia sold in the U.S. is actually produced domestically. Farming tilapia in the Midwest just makes sense and has a strong sustainability story, according to Sweeney.In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, Feedstuffs Editor Sarah Muirhead caught up with Sweeney to talk about the potential for domestic fish farming and why indoor fish farming is an approach that makes sense. “We want to offset the amount of imported seafood sold in the United States,” he says. “We want to do better for the oceans and provide safer food for families."For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

Pigs and COVID-19. We’ve all been hearing about the unfortunate shutdown of various pork packing and processing plants these last two weeks but pigs are playing another role in the current pandemic as well. In fact, it is a rather unexpected role at that. In this episode, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with University of Illinois professor Dr. Matt Wheeler about the role pigs and his team are playing in an experiment that could be save many lives.  Wheeler, who has built and tested lifesaving medical devices animals before, was called upon last month test a new emergency ventilator that is designed to save lives of COVID-19 patients.“If this device saves one person, we did our job. Hopefully it'll save a whole lot more than that,” says Wheeler, professor in the department of animal sciences at University of Illinois. Recent Feedstuffs In Focus Episodes  on COVID-19Talking COVID-19 and the impact on livestock marketsNCBA CEO talks COVID19, Brazil beef, GIPSAFrontline observations from animal food industry in COVID-19 battleFarm Bureau economist discusses COVID-19 impactCOVID-19 emergency school nutrition campaign takes on hungerCOVID-19 takes toll on packing plant workers, operationsFor more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

The country’s 500+ pet food manufacturers not only provide balanced, safe meals for America’s dogs and cats, but also stimulate the overall agricultural economy through the purchase of ingredients, labor and services from related industries. With over two-thirds of U.S. households owning a pet and over $30 billion in pet food sales, the Institute for Feed Education & Research (IFEEDER), North American Renderers Assn. (NARA) and Pet Food Institute (PFI) came together to better understand what goes into the production of pet food.The groups have conducted first-of-its-kind research into the purchasing power of the $30 billion pet food industry and its economic implications for U.S. agriculture and rural communities.In the general sense, the research found that U.S. pet food manufacturers give back to the agricultural economy by using 8.65 million tons of animal- and plant-based ingredients for dog and cat food to provide the complete nutrition that pets need, at a value of $6.9 billion.In this episode, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Rob Cooper, executive director of IFEEDER, to learn more.A full version of the report, “U.S. Pet Food Manufacturers Feed Pets, Economy”, as well as an interactive map detailing economic projections at a state level, are available online at www.ifeeder.org.For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

With COVID-19 positive employees becoming an increasing issue for the nation’s beef, pork and poultry processing plants, and announcements of packing plant closures becoming more commonplace, we turned to former U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for food safety Dr. Richard Raymond to gain his insight on the situation.A regular columnist for Feedstuffs, Raymond graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical School and had a long-time family practice in Nebraska where he also served as that state’s Chief Medical Officer. He served as undersecretary of food safety at USDA from 2005 to 2008.Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talked with Raymond about matters related to COVID-19 and food safety, employee risk and more. Raymond is located in Colorado not far from a major packing plant area hit hard by the virus. In fact, the JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colo., was closed April 13, the day this podcast was recorded, after two workers died of the novel coronavirus. The company is now working with the state and county health officials and the plan is to reopen after testing and a containment strategy are put in place.Recent Feedstuffs In Focus Episodes  on COVID-19Talking COVID-19 and the impact on livestock marketsNCBA CEO talks COVID19, Brazil beef, GIPSAFrontline observations from animal food industry in COVID-19 battleFarm Bureau economist discusses COVID-19 impactCOVID-19 emergency school nutrition campaign takes on hungerFor more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

GENYOUth, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to creating healthier school communities, announced this week the establishment of a COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Fund to assist schools nationwide as they strive to provide school meals containing essential nutrition to students during the coronavirus pandemic.Approximately 124,000 U.S. public and private schools across the nation are now closed as a result of COVID-19 but they remain a critical source for the 30 million students who rely on school meals for a substantial portion of their daily nutrition. Across the nation, school nutrition professionals and volunteers are adopting new methods of delivering healthy meals during school closures. To meet this unprecedented need, GENYOUth has launched, "For Schools' Sake – Help Us Feed Our Nation's Kids!"Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talked with Ann Marie Krautheim, president and chief wellness officer of GENYOUth, to find out more about the new program, how it works and role that America’s dairy farmers and others play in making it possible. As Krautheim explained, this is a national call-to-action for corporations, foundations, athletes, influencers and individuals to raise their hands with urgency and compassion to support the COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Fund and spread the word to help feed the need #ForSchoolsSake. They can do this by making a donation at www.genyouthnow.org and by posting pictures with their hands raised in support for school nutrition professionals and volunteers on their social media channels. Likewise, dairy farmers are being encouraged to post pictures of themselves with their cows.This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health. Join Feedstuffs and Balchem April 29 for a  virtual mini-symposium on  on Methyl Donors and 1-C Metabolism in Dairy Cattle. Watch for registration information at Feedstuffs.com, and via the Feedstuffs Daily eNewsletter.For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

Water is not water is not water, at least when it comes to what’s best for livestock and poultry. Jesse McCoy is an environmental scientist with Neogen specializing in production agriculture. He has extensive experience working with large integrated production agriculture companies as well as independent producers to implement solutions to reduce pathogen loads at production facilities. In this episode we talk with McCoy about water treatment system design for production agriculture and the need for accurate water analysis. He explains why it all comes down to expectations of water quality and the desired performance outcome. Water, after all, is the largest oral input in any production system and can be a matter of life or death in a barn. This episode is sponsored by Hog Slat and Georgia Poultry. New for 2020, the Classic Pullet feed pan. Built to handle the most aggressive birds, the Classic Pullet features an anti-rotation clip, feed shut-off slide, and a shallow divided pan. Learn more at HogSlat.com.  For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

The current state of rural internet connectivity is generally poor and particularly challenging in rural areas located farthest from major roads, cities and larger towns.For the livestock industry, a lack of connectivity can limit the technological advancements that can be adopted and implemented at the farm level. Video, sensor data, even basic data transfer all require the ability to quickly move information from one place to another.This episode of Feedstuffs IN FOCUS is sponsored by Hog Slat, introducing the 54-inch Infinity fan. By utilizing advanced motor technology, this fan offers precise variable speed control with lower energy costs and reduced maintenance. Learn more at HogSlat.com. At this year’s American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual meeting Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead caught up with Dr. Dale Polson to get his thoughts on the issue.  Polson, global technical manager of the diagnostics and monitoring strategic business unit at Boehringer Ingelheim, is an expert on precision livestock farming. Discussed were the current and future states of rural connectivity and what’s likely ahead for livestock producers and veterinarians.For more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

John Newton, chief economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, has been working with Congress since late last week to try to get some sort of ag-related stimulus package through Congress. Specifically, agricultural groups are seeking an increase in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s borrowing authority up to $50 billion under the Commodity Credit Corporation.“Farmers need to know that USDA is going to have their back,” he said in an exclusive interview with Feedstuffs. “We've seen commodity prices fall pretty sharply across the whole sector.”Specifically, the deterioration in commodity values has been devastating. Live feeder and fat cattle prices were down 20 to 30%, ethanol May futures were down nearly 40%, Class IV milk prices down nearly 30% and at one point lean hogs were down more than 20%. “I believe that once we turn a corner on this virus, once the demand picks up, these commodity prices are undervalued and they’re going to pop back up,” he said. He noted when you look at data on consumer spending, consumers spent $1.7 trillion on food in 2019, and about $680 billion was spent in restaurants and $620-$630 billion spent at the grocery store. Yet, the cuts of meat that people are buying at the supermarket is different than what they would buy at restaurant. “What we’re actually seeing the last two weeks is that restaurant demand has been moved to the grocery store. So that’s obviously going to have an impact on the type of commodities and the type of products that people are buying,” he said.  “I think this, this thing could potentially have a long tail, and we're going to need to evaluate what the ultimate impact has been once we start to see a recovery on what that's doing to commodity prices.”Newton added, “I think we're, we're still very early in this baseball game that we're playing. And I think once we turn the corner, we'll start to see and watch just how we start to pick the pieces back up and get this economy started up again.”In this fourth episode in our series on agriculture and COVID-19, Feedstuffs policy editor Jacqui Fatka talks with Newton about Farm Bureau's efforts on Capitol Hill, and the broader market implications of COVID-19 related to the food and ag industries.Recent Feedstuffs In Focus Episodes  on COVID-19Talking COVID-19 and the impact on livestock marketsNCBA CEO talks COVID19, Brazil beef, GIPSAFrontline observations from animal food industry in COVID-19 battleFor more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.

Flatten the curve. That is the term of the day as the nation responds to the spread of COVID-19, a deadly virus of concern to human lives, particularly the elderly and immune compromised.The staff at the American Feed Industry Assn. (AFIA) has been actively monitoring developments and working to get the animal food industry’s voice heard in the many regulatory and policy discussions taking place.In this episode, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with Leah Wilkinson, AFIA’s vice president of public policy and education, to find out how the industry has been preparing for COVID-19. Among other things, they discuss what animal food manufacturers are doing to protect the health of their employees and their customers while continuing to keep our livestock, poultry and companion animals fed. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, AFIA has launched a members-only webpage to help member companies prepare facilities & staff to respond to the emerging public health threat. It can be found at afia.org/coronavirus.This is a third in a series on agriculture and COVID-19. Recent Feedstuffs In Focus Episodes  on COVID-19Talking COVID-19 and the impact on livestock marketsNCBA CEO talks COVID19, Brazil beef, GIPSAFarm Bureau economist discusses COVID-19 impactFor more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.