AFIA Board of Directors Conclude Spring Meeting, Capitol Hill Visits

Nearly 60 members of the American Feed Industry Association’s Board of Directors met to discuss issues of mutual concern and make their concerns known to their legislators during the annual spring meeting in the Washington, D.C., area this week. The AFIA Board also recognized Steven VanRoekel, Ridley Inc., for his leadership as chairman this past year, welcomed a new chairman, William C. Barr, Bill Barr & Company Inc. and 16 new directors to the Board and elected six new members to the organization’s Executive Committee.

“AFIA is very fortunate to have had the exceptional leadership of Steve VanRoekel this past year, and we look forward to gaining the expertise Bill Barr will bring to this office,” said Joel G. Newman, AFIA president and CEO.

AFIA Takes Concerns to Capitol Hill

Board members visited Capitol Hill to publicize AFIA positions on proposed legislation when they visited their respective members of Congress on May 11. The congressional visits, held following a legislative briefing on Capitol Hill the previous day, gave members the opportunity to discuss issues such as food and feed safety, speculative trading and more.

The Board was briefed by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), who shared his views on energy and tax policy as well as the recent over-regulation of businesses. He cited the EPA as an example of an agency that has gone outside the intent of Congress in their recent actions on dust standards and the clean water act.

Barr Succeeds VanRoekel

William C. Barr was elevated to the chairmanship of the country’s largest feed organization at the meeting on May 11. Barr, the president of Bill Barr & Company Inc. of Overland Park, Kan., succeeds VanRoekel, the president and CEO of Ridley Inc. of Mankato, Minn. The terms of chairman and past chairman are one year.

In related business, the Board voted to accept the nomination of Alan Gunderson to become chairman-elect of the organization. Gunderson, the vice president of Vita Plus Corporation, will succeed Barr in May 2012.

New Additions to the Board, Executive Committee

The following individuals were elected to three-year terms on the AFIA Board and began their service with the May Board meeting:

•  Dave Probert, ADM Alliance Nutrition, Inc.

• Gary Cooper, Cooper Farms, Inc.

• Ivan Pedigo, Gold River Feed Products

• Mike Micoletti, Penny Newman

• Al Gunderson, Vita Plus Corporation

• Steve Boenmer, Westway Feed Products LLC

• Rich Dwyer, Kent Feeds

• Steve Brody, Pioneer, A Dupont Company

• Ken Vaupel, Alfagreen Supreme

• Nate Yates, Corn Products International, Inc.

• Paul Phillips, Maxi-Lift, Inc.

• Bill Braman, Chr. Hansen Animal Health and Nutrition

• Herald Scherf, DSM Nutritional Products, Inc.

• John Thompson, Evonik Industries

• Wendy Plocher, FMC Corporation

• Greg Kean, WellPet LLC

The following individuals joined AFIA’s Executive Committee:

• Jeff Cannon, Diamond V Mills, Inc.

• RB Halaby, AgriCapital Corporation

• Lee Hall, Hallway Feeds

• Tracy Harris, Central Life Sciences

• Mike Osborne, Nutra Blend, LLC

• Mark McCulley, The HANOR Family of Companies

 

New Additions to the IFEEDER Board of Trustees

The following individuals were elected to the Institute of Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) Board of Trustees:

• Mark Lyons, Alltech, Inc.
• Eddie Wells, Milk Specialties Global

Other Key Issues Before the Board

AFIA Board members discussed a range of topics during their time together, including matters pertaining to membership, strategic objectives, finances and regulations and legislation.

The Board approved a proposal that AFIA support the formation of a Life Cycle Assessment modeling consultancy to be formed by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization. AFIA will provide part funding for the project and ask the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) to fund half of the project, including consultant fees. As a funder, AFIA will provide two participants in the process.

In approving the budget the Board authorized the addition of a new legislative and regulatory position devoted to trade issues.