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By Louise Calderwood, Director of Regulatory Affairs, AFIA
When I walked through the doors of the American Feed Industry Association eight years ago to begin my role as Director of Regulatory Affairs I expected to spend my days reading regulations, attending meetings and helping members navigate government requirements.
That part was true.
What I did not expect was how much I would come to respect industry partners across the country and how much I will miss them as I look forward to retirement at the end of August
Over the past eight years I have had a front row seat to one of the most innovative, resilient and collaborative industries in agriculture. I have watched feed manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, nutritionists, state officials and federal regulators tackle some incredibly complex issues with one shared goal: producing safe, affordable animal food while continuing to improve every day.
One of the greatest privileges of my career has been building relationships across the country. Through AFIA, I have worked with outstanding professionals from every corner of the feed industry. I have also been fortunate to stay connected to my roots through the Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance (NEAFA), whose commitment to advocacy, education and collaboration has long strengthened agriculture across New England and New York. NEAFA is where I got my start in association affairs and my time there showed me that success is built one farm, one feed mill and one community at a time.
Looking back, it is remarkable how much the regulatory landscape has changed.
When I started with AFIA we were largely focused on FSMA implementation. Over the next eight years we moved on to evolving FDA ingredient review pathways, sustainability initiatives, PFAS, state by state ingredient proposals, extended producer responsibility, microplastics and enough legislative proposals to keep me on my toes.
Just when we thought we understood the rules, someone wrote new ones.
Helping members understand what applies, what is changing and what might be coming next has become increasingly complicated. Yet every time a new challenge emerged, I watched this industry respond with practical solutions rather than complaints.
That has been one of the most rewarding parts of this job.
Another has been representing AFIA members before regulators and policymakers. Whether meeting with FDA, state officials, legislators or other stakeholders, I was continually impressed by the credibility our members brought to every conversation. The animal food industry has always been willing to engage constructively, explain the science and work toward better outcomes.
What I will remember most, however, are not the regulations.
I will remember the friendships.
I will remember the committee chairs who generously volunteered their time. The members who answered my clueless questions when I was new. The regulators who were willing to have honest conversations, even when we disagreed. And the many colleagues at NEAFA whose passion for agriculture continually reminded me why this work matters.
The feed industry is often described as the foundation of animal agriculture and I believe the people are its greatest strength. They are practical, thoughtful, generous with their expertise and remarkably willing to work together for the good of the industry.
As I close this chapter, I leave with enormous gratitude. Thank you to AFIA, NEAFA and the members who welcomed me, challenged me and taught me far more than I ever expected to learn.
I have every confidence that the industry's future is bright. There will undoubtedly be more regulations, more guidance documents, more state bills and more meetings about commas and definitions. Somehow, I suspect the industry will handle them just fine.
It has been an honor to be part of the journey.