Feed Industry Event Highlights Supply Chain Disruptions

TheAmerican Feed Industry Association (AFIA)held its annual Purchasing and Ingredient Suppliers Conference (PISC) last week, bringing together over 300 feed ingredient buyers and sellers from across the country to San Francisco, CA, for three days of educational programming, business meetings and networking opportunities.

“In a clear sign that in-person business is returning, last week, over 300 feed industry buyers and sellers reunited at AFIA’s Purchasing and Ingredient Suppliers Conference to forge ahead with new business and rebuild relationships put on-hold since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said AFIA President and CEOConstance Cullman.

“The enthusiasm members exerted was palpable, as they contributed to a successful week full of Board and committee meetings, robust discussions on current events, business meetings and offsite tours.”

The event included two days’ worth of educational programming, with a diverse lineup of topics, including: what shippers and freighters are doing to decrease supply chain pressures; what’s new in research on African swine fever and other transboundary animal diseases; how California’s Proposition 12 is affecting animal agriculture and interstate commerce; and myriad economic forces affecting the grain and animal markets, including high inflation and fuel prices, strained labor forces and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Supply chain update

“Infrastructure is not quick, infrastructure takes time,” said Andrew Hwang, manager of maritime business development and international marketing at the Port of Oakland.

“What we’re dealing with today is a lack of infrastructure investment over decades.”

Rodney Nye, senior vice president of business development at J.B. Hunt Transport noted things are not going to change drastically in the near future, which means high costs for shipping will stay.

“Freight demand remains high with low capacity," says Nye. "It’s going to take time to get more capacity to make a difference."

"We need to hire 110,000 drivers a year to keep up with supply and demand.”

The2023 PISCwill be held in Orlando, FL, March 7-9.