The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) has released its 2025-26 policy priorities, reaffirming the animal food industry’s commitment to advancing policies that improve the business environment for U.S. animal feed manufacturers. The new policy agenda focuses on improving the regulatory environment for new ingredients, expanding access to animal feed solutions and enhancing market competitiveness while promoting feed and food safety.
“Our board leadership and members have put forward robust policy priorities that are crafted to ensure the animal food industry remains competitive in a dynamic and ever-changing regulatory and global trade landscape,” said AFIA President and CEO Constance Cullman. “We are taking a proactive approach to tackling longstanding challenges that impede U.S. animal food manufacturers’ ability to do business and bring innovative animal food solutions to the market, while preparing for emerging issues that could impact the U.S. animal food supply chain in the future.”
This week, more than 50 AFIA board members will be in Washington, speaking to members of Congress about the association’s policy priorities. AFIA’s policy priorities will focus on six key areas, including:
1. Advocating for harmonized state feed regulations, science-based rulemaking and the modernization of pet food labeling requirements. AFIA also prioritizes infrastructure and workforce solutions to strengthen the resilience of the animal food supply chain.
2. Supporting the use of updated feed management standards and the promotion of harmonized life cycle assessment tools across the United States and European Union.
3. Calling for modernization of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ingredient review processes, such as the Food Additive Petition and Generally Recognized As Safe notification processes, to accelerate the delivery of animal food solutions into the marketplace. Key legislative priorities include supporting the Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development Act (H.R. 2203) to clarify the regulatory review pathways used for newer ingredients with non-nutritive benefits, such as reduced food safety pathogens, improvement of gut health and reduced emissions.
4. Promoting science-based manufacturing facility inspection protocols and supporting the expansion of FDA’s guidance resources. The organization will actively participate in Codex discussions on drug residue thresholds in animal-origin foods.
5. Addressing environmental regulatory issues, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent unscientific assessment of formaldehyde, and tracking developments around contaminants such as PFAS and microplastics. The AFIA will also monitor various workplace rules and regulations, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s standards for heat illness prevention and safety procedures.
6. Strengthening global trade relationships, addressing supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly for essential ingredients that are not produced in the United States, such as vitamins and amino acids, and removing non-tariff trade barriers. The association will increase its advocacy efforts around farm bill funding and support for the Securing American Agriculture Act (H.R. 1195/ S. 912), as well as communicating with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service how new export protocols are serving the industry.
These priorities will guide AFIA’s legislative, regulatory and global trade policy engagement strategies through 2026.
