AFIA highlights feed industry programs at IPPE 2023 [Video]

Sarah Novak, chief operating officer at the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), talks to Feed & Grain about what the association has planned for the 2023 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE).

Topics include:

• New product awards
• A return to pre-Covid attendance levels
• Education programming
• IFEEDERs Sustainability toolkit
• Why industry members should be attending IPPE

Transcript

Feed & Grain: For those unfamiliar with your work, can you explain who you are and what you do at AFIA?

Sarah Novack: 00:09

Hi, I'm Sarah Novick. I am with the American Feed Industry Association. I'm the Chief Operating Officer, and one of my main roles at AFIA is putting on the International Production and Processing Expo in conjunction with the North American Meat Institute and the US Poultry and Egg Association.

F&G: What’s new with the Animal Feed portion of IPPE this year? Anything you’re particularly excited about?

Sarah Novack: 00:23

So, we're really excited this year. We have a new product showcase that allows our exhibitors they were able to submit products or services that are new to their businesses. And we've actually got some unbiased judges to kind of rank them, and we'll be giving an award to the newest, most innovative products. We'll be announcing that later today. And it'll be out on social media as well. So even if you're not here at the event, you still can track down the information and learn from what's going on and what's new.

F&G: Did the COVID-19 pandemic have an effect on this IPPE, or are things completely back to normal?

Sarah Novack: 00:56

You know, I think things are getting pretty much back to normal. We sold out the show from end to end. We didn't have a square foot left to sell. As I'm walking the hall, I'm seeing people in booths having conversations and talking. Like there's just a lot of energy and excitement. People are here. They're really excited to talk, be face to face, learn those new services and talk about those things. So we're really excited to have everyone back. We're on track for one of our largest shows ever.

F&G: Some watchers may not be attending this IPPE or may have never attended one. Do you have a pitch for watchers on why they should come out for 2024’s show?

Sarah Novack: 01:25

Absolutely 2024, end of January in Atlanta, the largest annual animal food show. So if you are looking to expand your supplier base, or you're renovating a feed bill, or you're updating your pet food manufacturing facility, your suppliers for equipment or hear your suppliers for ingredients like this is the place to be at. It's held every year. It's the largest international show of its kind.

F&G: What are you most excited about at this year's Expo?

Sarah Novack: 01:50

You know we're really excited again about the new product showcase is exciting. We've got some great education programs, the pet food conference, pretty much it's standing room only. So if you're involved in pet food manufacturing, we host a pet food conference. We've got a number of great programs, and our feet education has talked about some biosecurity. We also have a specific biosecurity program unveiling some recent research on things. We're partnering with Watt, and they're doing their Feed Mill of the Future program.

One of the most exciting things is the release from our public charity, the Institute for Feed Education and Research, released its sustainability toolkit. No matter where a company is on their sustainability journey, there's a number of resources that they released or the industry to you.

— Steven Kilger