The Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) has released its new Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit, intended to drive continuous improvement among the full feed value chain. The toolkit was unveiled at the International Production and Processing Expo in Atlanta on Jan. 21. IFEEDER also shared its definition for “sustainability,” grounding the public charity’s next steps on its multifaceted Sustainability Road Map project.
“Animal food industry members have indicated they are ready and willing to support broader sustainability goals within the food and agriculture community, but their ability to make measurable progress on areas important to their customers and suppliers is at times hindered by not knowing where to start,” said Lara Moody, IFEEDER executive director. “Now, we have provided an ‘on ramp’ for them to help achieve leadership buy-in and employee engagement so that sustainability becomes part of their corporate cultures and shapes future business decisions.”
The toolkit materials, which are supported by 18 months of research and development, are grouped into three stages to support those companies getting started, making progress and reporting out on their set targets and goals. It includes practical tools and resources, such as how to conduct a materiality assessment, a scientific literature review of what the global feed industry has done to date to support broader environmental goals, insights into building the sustainability business case, message mapping to help members communicate their stories to their key audiences and more.
As part of the Sustainability Road Map project, IFEEDER defined “sustainability” for the U.S. animal food industry as “defined and managed by each individual organization to deliver measurable, continuous improvements on the impacts related to people, planet and governance that are most important to them and their stakeholders.”The definition provides guidance for industry and flexibility to meet the definition needs for themselves and their customers.
Input into the Sustainability Road Map project and supporting toolkit were provided by the following companies, which also provided monetary contributions for this effort: Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production/Church & Dwight Company; Animix, LLC; Anipro/Xtraformance Nutrition; BASF Corporation; Bayer CropScience LP; Belstra Milling Co.; Berg+Schmidt America, LLC; Bill Barr & Company, Inc.; Cargill; CJ Bio America, Inc.; Darling Ingredients; DSM Nutritional Products; ED&F Man Liquid Products LLC; Elanco Animal Health; Kemin Industries, Inc.; International Ingredient Corporation; ILC Resources; The Mosaic Company; Sustainable Oils, Inc.; United Animal Health, Inc.; Western Milling; Westway Feed Products and Zinpro Corporation.
The toolkit is available for free to AFIA members and IFEEDER donors on IFEEDER’s website and available for purchase to nonmembers in AFIA’s Online Store.
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