ARLINGTON, VA. — The Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) announced on Nov. 4 that it is seeking proposals for a project that will analyze the potential impacts of fluctuations in vitamin and amino acid availability on US livestock production and pet health. The company will be accepting proposals until Dec. 13. 

“Amid recent global supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tension, there has been growing concern among feed and pet food manufacturers about having access to a steady, reliable supply of vitamins and amino acids to reliably produce complete animal food,” said Carlos A. Gonzalez, IFEEDER Board of Trustees chair. “At IFEEDER, we are working to proactively address some of the most challenging issues facing the industry, and I can think of no issue that can have such deep repercussions for animal food production, animal health and welfare, food security and the economy.”

Supply chain resiliency has been a major area of focus for the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA). For example, the association estimates that 78% of total vitamin imports to the United States are from China. 

“China holds a commanding position in global vitamin production, reportedly exclusively manufacturing key vitamins such as thiamine, niacin, biotin, inositol, salicylic acid, cobalamin, cholecalciferol and K,” wrote Gina Tumberello, senior director of international policy and trade for the AFIA. “This dependency poses significant risks, as demonstrated by the recent trends in the amino acids market, which follow a similar pattern to what has been observed with vitamins. According to some analyses, the US dependency on Chinese production now accounts for over 62% of the global capacity for amino acids, including 76% for lysine and 91% for threonine.”

Research organizations and institutions are encouraged to submit proposals to evaluate critical supply thresholds and inclusion rates of vitamins and amino acids essential for livestock health and productivity. The primary objective of the research is to quantify key vitamin- and amino acid-driven performance indicators critical to each animal production sector (such as broilers, layers, turkeys, swine, and dairy and beef cattle) that measure the impact of supply fluctuation on animal health, reproduction, feed efficiency and aggregate output of meat, dairy foods and eggs.

In addition, IFEEDER is seeking proposals for a parallel assessment that focuses on the impact that vitamin and amino acid supply fluctuations would have on pet health. Applicants are invited to submit proposals for the assessment of all livestock production sectors and/or pet food production.

“At the direction of the IFEEDER Board of Trustees and in partnership with AFIA leadership, IFEEDER is committed to leading this strategic assessment to better equip industry stakeholders with the information they need to proactively seek solutions now and ensure their ability to serve customers in the future,” said Lara Moody, executive director of IFEEDER.

The timeline for project completion is six months, with the final selection of the contractor expected during January of 2025. The final selection of the contractor will be determined by the institute’s Research Committee and approved by its Board of Trustees.

Interested organizations and institutions must submit proposals to the institute by Dec 13. More information and specific proposal requirements can be found on IFEEDER’s website. 

Read more about supply chain topics affecting the industry on our Operations page.