"As IFEEDER continues to grow, so does the desire to learn more about the foundation--our goals, our mission, our accomplishments," said Institute for Feed Education & Research Executive Director Ken Thomas.
The latest participation from American Feed Industry Association members--the organization responsible for the creation of IFEEDER--comes from two corporate gold pledges. Novus International Inc., headquartered in St. Charles, Mo., and Feed Products & Service Company, located in St. Louis, donated $50,000 each toward education and research in the feed industry.
Novus, whose focus is on animal nutrition solutions for livestock, poultry and aquaculture, is represented in nearly 100 countries across the globe. Ed Galo, Novus's World Area Director North America, said his company is excited about science and quality research being conducted, especially as both Novus's and IFEEDER's missions align.
"The IFEEDER mission to sustain the future of food and feed production through education and research is very complementary to Novus's mission to make a clear difference in sustainably meeting the growing global need for nutrition and health," said Galo.
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Greg Fallin, president and CEO of Feed Products & Service Company, a 70-year-old family-run feed ingredient supplier, said his company chooses to donate to the 501(c)(3) "so animal agriculture can continue to sustain our vital role in feeding the world's growing population."
"As our industry comes under increasing hostility from misleading and well-funded adversaries, we must have a means to educate today's consumers," Fallin added.
This spring, IFEEDER also received a donation from outside of AFIA's membership--an effort that will continue as the foundation grows. Magnus International Group, located in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, contributed $50,000--also making the company a corporate gold pledge--toward the nonprofit's efforts. Magnus develops and manufactures products ranging from natural animal feed ingredients to natural industrial and consumer waxes for a variety of applications to customized fatty acids, biodiesel fuel feedstocks and other specialty chemicals.
"IFEEDER uniquely understands the extreme importance of food and feed's future, especially for our children," said Magnus International co-owner Scott Forster. "I am honored to support such a visionary organization personally and professionally. Rarely do you find a group so passionate about education and research, and that's exactly what agriculture needs to meet the growing universal challenges of food quality and delivery."
Forster contributed an individual platinum level pledge to show his personal support, while Bill Mead, now of Prince Agri Products, made an individual gold level pledge.
IFEEDER was created in 2009 to address the enormous challenges the U.S. food and feed production industries will face in the next 40 years and beyond as the world's population grows by almost 2.5 billion people.
In 2014, the nonprofit contributed $100,000 toward porcine epidemic diarrhea virus research and funds toward the National Research Council Nutrient Requirements for Swine publication, which updated the nutrient recommendations for this widely used industry resource.
"With only 2 percent of today's U.S. population actively farming, educating the remaining 98 percent is a tremendous opportunity presented to our industry, and it is a focal point for IFEEDER," said Thomas. "Today's consumer is inundated with information, and we want that information to come from sound science."
For more information on IFEEDER, visit www.ifeeder.org.
About IFEEDERCreated by the American Feed Industry Association in 2009, the Institute for Feed Education & Research (IFEEDER) was formed to support the future of the feed industry as it is challenged to sustain the escalating world population. The IFEEDER foundation broadly represents the feed industry, including representation from academia and experts in science and technology. Through education and research, IFEEDER is paving the way for future generations to meet these enormous challenges, ensuring the long-term viability of the global feed industry. IFEEDER is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation.
6.1.2015