The global feed industry
Animal feeds play a leading role in the global food industry, enabling economic production of animal proteins throughout the world. Feed is the largest and most important component to ensuring safe, abundant and affordable animal proteins.
In 2011 the world compound feed production was an estimated 870 million tonnes and the turnover of global commercial feed manufacturing generated an estimated annual turnover and sales value equivalent to US$350 billion worldwide. Commercial production or sale of manufactured feed products takes place in more than 120 countries and directly employs more than a quarter of a million skilled workers, technicians, managers and professionals.
IFIF and it's Members are keenly aware of the demographic and sustainability challenges which lie ahead of the food and feed industry. The UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) estimates that the world will have to produce ca. 70% more food by 2050 and we believe that animal protein production will grow even more – meats (poultry/swine/beef) will double, as well as dairy, and fish production will almost triple by 2050.
One of the challenges is that on top of the 870 million tons of feed produced by the feed industry, around 300 million tons of feed is produced directly by on farm mixing. This poses challenges as food safety authorities do not regularly audit mixing by farmers and regulatory authorities only inspect when there is a problem. IFIF believes it is vital for the feed industry and for the sustainability of the whole feed and food chain that clear standards apply throughout the whole feed chain. We believe both industrial and on farm mixers should be controlled and inspected on a regular basis.
In order to support the spreading of good manufacturing practice and higher feed safety standards around the globe, in 2010 IFIF and FAO published and launched the ‘Feed Manual of Good Practices’ for the Feed Industry.