Industry Priorities
Continual improvement is important for the stock feed industry to strive for. The industry believes in being proactive rather reactive to matters that may impact on the industry and its Members. Priorities include:​
ENERGY CONSERVATION
Annual surveys provide data that members can use to benchmark their operations energy use and energy cost.
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SFMCA also calculate greenhouse gas emissions and CO2 production per tonne of feed manufactured, with the view of generating data trends over time.
FEED SAFETY
Feed safety has been a major focal point of SFMCA’s activities for many years, and rightly so. As a result our mantra Safe Feed For Food was developed because of these activities. The feed industry needs to ensure it provides an extremely safe product to food-producing animals so we don’t impact on the food safety of the consumer. As a result of this focus, FeedSafeÒ (the feed industry’s QA program) was developed and implemented. It now accounts for approximately 90% of all compound feed produced in Australia.
ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP
Antibiotics are widely used by the livestock industries for the prudent control of bacterial diseases. One method of delivery is via the feed or water. This ensures all livestock being fed receives their required dose. The feed industry has a role in ensuring this method of application is performed in a manner that does not result in resistance in livestock and humans. The Australian feed industry is presently developing a stewardship program that will fit with the goal to reduce antimicrobial resistance whilst protecting the health and welfare of livestock and humans.
INDUSTRY SUSTAINABILITY
The Australian feed industry will be embarking on a major project to set targets for identified development goals that will guide the industry on its commitment to providing continuous improvement for it’s participants. These commitment areas will need to align with our end-users, suppliers, stakeholders and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We will be working closely with our counterparts in the International Feed Industry Federation to achieve this framework.
BIOSECURITY
There is a misconception that biosecurity is just a government’s role. This is simply not true – it is everyone’s responsibility. In order for the livestock industries to reduce the risk of disease events in their animals the entire supply chain must be involved. That means those supplying feed must be involved too. This industry has a role to play in ensuring that we don’t spread disease when going on farm, or by supplying contaminated feed. As a result the industry has developed a biosecurity manual for feed mills which will be incorporated into FeedSafeÒ.
National Feed Standard for Food-Producing Animals
The industry has had a long term goal to achieve a consistent approach to the legislation and policy affecting the production of feed in Australia. We need one set of rules that we as an industry can follow. The Feed Standard will allow us to do this if we can bring the governments and industry together to achieve this outcome. SFMCA will be working with its members and stakeholders to achieve this goal.