U.S. and Canada: Page 78

Pet Food Ingredients

American Feed Industry Association holds spring meeting

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 legislators during the annual spring meeting near Washington, D.C., USA. On May 16, board members visited Capitol Hill and members of Congress to publicize the association's positions on proposed legislation that would impact the feed and feed ingredient industry.

Purina recalls Veterinary Diets Overweight Management cat food cans

Nestle Purina PetCare is voluntarily recalling one lot of Purina Veterinary Diets OM Overweight Management wet cat food, available through veterinarians in the US and Canada, in response to a consumer complaint received by the US Food and Drug Administration. Analytical testing of the product sample by the administration indicated a low level of thiamine (Vitamin B1).

Packaged Facts releases new pet market report

Even through tough economic times, the US pet industry continues to move forward, according to market research firm Packaged Facts in its new pet market report on US dog and cat owners. According to a Packaged Facts survey of nearly 2,000 pet owners, three main factors are driving the US pet market: the burgeoning pet parenting phenomenon, the increase in pet ownership by the family-oriented and demographically potent Hispanic population, and the prevalence of pet ownership among affluent Americans.

U.S. and Canada

US petfood sales pull ahead in 2011

Although the US pet industry performed slightly better overall in 2011 than it did in 2010, the market remains crunched by consumer cutbacks stemming from the slow economic recovery. During 2010, total US sales of pet products and services rose 3.5%, and sales were up 3.9% in 2011.

In 2011, US petfood sales did better than predicted, according to Packaged Facts, rising 4.5% to US$19.2 billion. Only sales of non-medical pet services (up 5%) outperformed those of petfood.

Pet Food Market

Celebrate National Pet Week with good news about pet care spending

May 6-12 is National Pet Week, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, which says the week is celebrated in the US and other parts of the world to "promote responsible pet ownership, celebrate the human-animal bond and promote public awareness of veterinary medicine." Perhaps your company is planning a special promotion or at least timing promotional activity with local celebrations at pet retail outlets.

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack visits Kemin Industries

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently visited a high school in rural Des Moines, Iowa, USA, telling students that manufacturing jobs are returning to the Midwest, such as those at local manufacturer Kemin Industries, which he also visited. Vilsack told the students that the high-tech manufacturing jobs of today require math and engineering skills while working to research and develop plant molecules used in the company's production of petfood ingredients and products for animal nutrition.

Nestle Purina increases first-quarter 2012 pet product sales

Petfood manufacturer Nestlé Purina Pet Care increased its first-quarter fiscal 2012 global pet product sales by 7.7 percent to CHF 2.545 billion (US$2.8 billion). According to the petfood company's financial statement, Purina experienced double-digit growth in North and South America during the quarter thanks to strong performances in the Friskies, Purina ONE Beyond and Beneful Baked Delights brands.

Solid Gold donates most petfood ever to SPCA of Connecticut, USA

Solid Gold Health Products for Pets made the largest donation of petfood ever in Connecticut, USA, the company said, donating 43,375 pounds of Sun Dancer dry dog food to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Connecticut animal shelter. In total, Solid Gold donated US$1 million worth of dog food to 15 animal rescue organizations across the country.

Illinois, USA petfood ingredient manufacturer fined by OSHA

Petfood ingredient manufacturer All-Feed Processing & Packaging Inc. was found in civil contempt of court for failing to allow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to inspect its Galva, Illinois, USA, facility from May 4-July 5, 2011. The manufacturer was fined US$31,000 for contempt and US$10,964.95 in attorney's fees by Senior District Judge Joe Billy McDade of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois for failing to allow inspections at its petfood packaging and research facility.

Global Pet Expo 2012 sets records in attendance, exhibitors

The Global Pet Expo 2012 saw record-breaking buyer and media attendance and total pet product exhibitor booths sold, say sponsors American Pet Products Association and Pet Industry Distributers Association. The 2012 show, held in Orlando, Florida, USA, February 29-March 2, featured 5,011 buyers in attendance, more than 3,000 new pet product launches, 896 exhibitors and 2,487 booths sold – the highest post-show numbers reported in Global Pet Expo’s eight-year history.

The 2012 Global Pet Expo saw a record number of attendees with more than 5,000 buyers.

Chinese pet owners import American-made petfood for safety

Amid calls by American pet owners for the US Food and Drug Administration to recall chicken jerky treats from China, Chinese pet owners are importing "made in America" petfood in an effort to prevent their own pets from becoming sick by eating petfoods made in China. A number of US petfood companies currently export petfood to Hong Kong, according to a recent article, which says that petfood manufacturers Innova, Solid Gold, Pinnacle, Canidae/Felidae, Nature’s Variety, Oma’s Pride, Wellness, Castor & Pollux Pet Works, Holistic Select and Best Breed all export to distributors in Hong Kong.

Pet Food Market

Record 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).

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