Policy Markets Feed and Nutrition

Study Released on Future of Biofuels and Feed

US - Today, feed costs account for 50 to 70 per cent of livestock and poultry production. What factors are driving these costs and how are scarce resources for food, feed and fuel going to be allocated in the future as we struggle to feed a growing population? These questions and more are answered in a landmark study from the American Feed Industry Association reporting on the factors impacting current feed costs.

23 July 2012

2 minute read

North America

The analysis includes an economic outlook of how industry profitability, production efficiency, and demand will be impacted as it pertains to US feed grains and livestock and poultry feeding. Along with the key driving factors of future livestock and poultry industries, this study outlines variables and potential effects, addresses questions not answered, and covers short medium and long term horizons.

The report Future Patterns of US Feed Grains, Biofuels, and Livestock and Poultry Feeding was presented by AFIA President and CEO, Joel G. Newman at the Federation of Animal Sciences symposium.

According to the report, the three main factors impacting feed availability and cost are biofuels, global demand, specific exports and annual crop yields.

“The US livestock and poultry industries are working under significantly different dynamics than they were just 5 or 10 years ago,” explained AFIA’s president and CEO, Joel G. Newman. “This changing environment will not slow up in the coming years,” he added.

In the short-term, feed availability should improve, provided weather doesn’t impact grain production significantly. Beyond the short-term, the livestock and poultry industries need to keep an eye on things such as China’s demand for not only corn and soybeans but ultimately, meat, milk and eggs; the development of biobutanol; and potential growth in production of de-oiled distillers grains.

“The US agriculture and food system is the envy of the world,” stated Newman. “We are the technology leaders and need to continue to be – this is the key to success of feeding the growing population by 2050 – the use of and acceptance of technology to feed more people using fewer natural resources.”