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We’re big advocates for organizations that support the animal feed industry, and one of those is the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER). As a trusted resource for inquiries about the animal food industry’s role in U.S. agriculture, IFEEDER is the only source of comprehensive data on U.S. animal feed consumption.
The mission of IFEEDER is to use timely research and education to advance the understanding and trust in sustainable animal feed and the pet food supply chain. They work with diverse partners to conduct objective research, education and sustainability projects to inform business leaders and decision-makers about the future of the animal feed and pet food industry.
Two recent examples of how IFEEDER is helping our industry are their reports on feed ingredient consumption and pet food ingredients. Lara Moody, executive director of IFEEDER, explains why reports like these are essential for the animal food industry.
“The two reports demonstrate the essential role feed mills, pet food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, liquid feed manufacturers, renderers and row crop farmers play in keeping animals fed throughout their lives,” said Moody. “And, in addition to generating data for the industry to use, the information helps stakeholders understand the scope and use of ingredients in the animal food industry which goes well beyond corn and soybeans.”
This report helps us understand the scope and status of feed ingredient components and their use. A model calculated the total consumption of feed ingredients, as well as byproducts and coproducts that might otherwise be underutilized if they were not upcycled to feed.
In 2023, domestic livestock, poultry and aquaculture consumed nearly 284 million tons of feed. The top three feed consumers were beef cattle, broiler chickens and hogs; and the states with the largest amount of feed consumed were Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, North Carolina and Kansas.
Corn and corn-related products (like distiller’s dried grains and cornmeal) made up 70% of the total amount of compounded feed consumed. Second were soy-related ingredients (14%).
Circular ingredients are coproducts or byproducts from the human food industry or other industrial processes that could otherwise go to landfill. The report found that 37% of total feed consumption (excluding harvested forages and roughages) came from circular ingredients. Aquaculture and equine consumed the most circular feed ingredients.
If you’re interested in looking at more data, the report includes a data table that you can modify to view the consumption of over 70 ingredients by species and by state.
This report looks at the hundreds of ingredients that make up pet diets across the U.S. and the economic impact of those ingredients. It was estimated that dog and cat food sales were $51.7 billion in 2024, with 9.8 million tons coming from over 60 plant- and animal-based ingredients. New in this report was the category of “fresh” pet foods, as well as online sales (in addition to in-store sales).
Chicken and chicken-based ingredients were the most commonly used ingredients by weight, while marine ingredients (like salmon and cod) ranked highest in value. Demand for premium ingredients has grown significantly since 2019, with marine ingredients increasing by 95 percent and meat and poultry by 34 percent. Conversely, use of water decreased by 22 percent and animal protein meals and fats by 12 percent.
In 2024, pet food manufacturers purchased $13.2 billion in farm products to support production, and incorporated more than 3 million tons of upcycled ingredients into dog food and over 1 million tons into cat food. These nutritious ingredients that might otherwise go to waste helped contribute to a responsible and efficient supply chain.
The pet food report includes a data table that can be modified to view the total weight of dog and cat food sold by ingredient, type, state and species.
As a public charity, IFEEDER’s research, education and sustainability efforts are funded by corporate and individual donations and grants, and 100 percent of IFEEDER donations go toward these initiatives. No other charitable organization of its kind exists within the U.S. to conduct research about and for the entire feed and pet food industry. Their leadership regularly audits and reports progress to donors to ensure they understand their return on investment and how IFEEDER is benefitting the long-term planning of their businesses.
Bill Barr and Co. is a proud IFEEDER donor, and we hope you will consider supporting their efforts, too. Give us a call if you would like to know more, or visit the IFEEDER website.
