Food Waste to Animal Feed – A Virtual International Conference

The University of Minnesota, University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and Feedstuffs are collaborating on the development of educational content related to the upcycling of food waste into animal food. The goal is to communicate and educate those in the feed and feeding industries globally about the value of food waste for livestock.

Acknowledging that food waste is a broad topic, this conference will address the issue of food waste in general along with its global scope overall but will be largely focused on food waste further upstream where the larger, more consistent quantities by sources occur and there is a greater stability in maintaining nutrient content. "Case study" examples that provide insight into various business models addressing all stages of the supply chain will be included.

The conference will run approximately three hours over the three consecutive weekdays, starting at 7 am (Central) each day to allow for global participation and discussion of various aspects of the food waste topic. The format will be 15-minute presentations on the current knowledge and challenges related to food waste for animal feeding, as well as 15-minute case study presentations.

Hosts for the conference will be Dr. Jerry Shurson, Professor, Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, and Dr. Zhengxia Dou, Professor of Agricultural Systems, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine.

Speakers include global and regional experts on various topics. Day One will be focused on the opportunities that exist, Day Two on the challenges and Day Three on the solutions.

Conference sponsors include the North American Renderers Association, World Wildlife Fund, International Ingredients Corp., American Feed Industry Association and the US Grains Council. This conference is also supported by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant.