Debbie Phillips-DonaldsonDebbie Phillips-Donaldson is editor-in-chief of Petfood Industry magazine and Petfood Forum.From the Author - Page 71Pet Food MarketFor petfood manufacturers, corn and wheat harvests might mean good newsRecent reports from the US Department of Agriculture offer good news for petfood manufacturers that use corn- or wheat-based ingredients in their formulations: Planting of corn and wheat in the US is ahead of schedule so far this year thanks to favorable weather. As of April 15, about 37% of the spring wheat crop had been seeded and 17% of the corn crop had been planted, according to reports.Pet Food MarketFor petfood, true innovation now lies behind the scenesFor Interzoo 2012, the organizer of the event -- arguably the largest pet trade show in the world -- invited me to give a presentation during the show's international press conference. While honored and flattered by the invitation, I was also rather nervous, initially, because of the requested topic: innovation in petfood and treats.Pet Food SafetyDesigning your plant for petfood safetyWith increased scrutiny by consumers and regulators in the US, European Union and other regions, ensuring the safety of petfood products is crucial. For petfood manufacturers, food safety starts at home—in this case, the manufacturing plant, especially when it is being built or retrofitted.HomeSustainability matters to tomorrow’s petfood consumersIn answering questions for this issue’s article on GA Pet Food Partners’ new environmentally friendly facility, David Bennison, GA’s sales director, makes a strong case for conferring with all stakeholders when launching a sustainability initiative. “In order to develop a long-term plan, you need to consult comprehensively with all employees, suppliers, customers and local residents to ensure the proposals meet their concerns and give confidence that the business is truly sustainable,” he says.HomeGA Pet Food leads in sustainabilityWith consumers increasingly seeking eco-friendly products and brands, more and more “green” claims are appearing in the marketplace on all categories of products. Petfood is no exception.Pet Food MarketPetfood Forum went to the dogs this year ...... literally! The fur was flying at Petfood Forum 2012, especially on Tuesday, April 3, when two rescue groups, members of the Petfinder.com network, visited with more than a dozen dogs and puppies, plus a couple cats. That was in addition to several booths in the exhibit hall hosting dogs (and one amazingly calm cat).Pet Food MarketSustainability: not just for huge multinationalsA new report shows retailer Walmart and Nestle, parent company of Nestle Purina, ranking among the top corporate sustainability leaders worldwide, according to GreenBiz.com. Based on a survey of "industry experts and professionals" by GlobeScan Inc. and SustainAbility Ltd., the report names 13 such leaders, with Unilever at the very top.Pet Food MarketTaking the claim 'human grade' literallyIt's not uncommon for media and others to see certain marketing terms and trends with petfood -- such as humanization -- and interpret them literally. Yet recently, BloombergBusinessweek took the concept to a whole new level.Pet Food MarketGet your new product development questions answeredEverything you've ever wanted to know about new product development but were afraid (or didn't know whom) to ask ... That's what you'll find at Petfood Workshop: New Product Development, April 4-5 at the Renaissance Schaumburg near Chicago, Illinois, USA.Pet Food MarketRecord corn crop in US (find out what that means at Petfood Forum)Two sources -- the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) -- are predicting a record corn harvest for the US this year, according to WattAgnet.com. FAPRI, a think tank based at the University of Missouri, puts the crop number at 13.916 billion bushels, reports a Reuters article, a 6% increase over the previous record set in 2009 (and based on the second largest plantings since World War II).Pet Food LabelingWhat is the petfood industry’s role in fighting pet obesity?Karen Wedekind, PhD, a researcher in pet nutrition with Novus Nutrition Brands, has made it a cause of sorts to educate our industry about the importance of balanced pet diets and avoiding excesses of nutrients such as minerals, protein and others (download a webinar on the topic). Whether you agree with Dr. Wedekind’s analysis, most industry professionals would concede that many pets, especially in developed markets, are receiving too much food overall.Pet Food MarketReport on Global Pet Expo 2012Last week was the largest Global Pet Expo ever -- at least according to the organizer, the American Pet Products Association. A few people I talked with on the show floor seemed skeptical of that claim; nevertheless, APPA president Bob Vetere said this year's show had the most booths, exhibitors, retailers and media.Previous PagePage 71 of 81Next Page
