Alltech’s annual International Feed Industry Symposium opened in Lexington, Kentucky, Monday 22nd May, to an audience of 1,500 international delegates representing the global animal feed industry. Delegates where challenged to create new products and use innovative technology to elevate the feed and food industries.
Dr. Pearse Lyons, President of Alltech, welcomed the group and opened the Symposium by calling science ‘a relentlessly interesting journey.’ He highlighted the need to move from a red to blue ocean strategy, by using a competitive rather than combative approach to undertaking new market directions. Referring to management guru Peter Drucker, Lyons commented “how every organization needs a core competency – innovation. We need to starve the problem and feed the opportunity,” he said.
Key-note speaker Dr. David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection (1999-2004), began by describing an industry landscape where food safety has moved “front and center.” He stated: “Zero risk is an impossible dream,” and continued to describe the EU systems and legislation that have been put into place “to give consumers what they demand - safe food.” He explained that “traceability is a fundamental requirement in any system to guarantee food safety, and in the EU, all producers will, by law, have to have a system in place.”
In regard to the issue of imported food and feed being made to comply with the standards set forth in the EU, Byrne said, “The aim is not to hamper the passage of imports into the EU. It is simply to ensure that the same standards of food apply to all products regardless of origin.”
Dr. Mingan Choct, professor in the School of Rural Science and Agriculture at the University of New England, Australia, was awarded Alltech’s Medal of Excellence during the Monday morning opening session. Choct, who specializes in monogastric animal production in carbohydrate chemistry, feed enzymes and monogastric nutrition, was chosen to receive the prestigious award for his innovative developments in enzyme supplementation of feed. “He is moving the science of cereal chemistry forward,” said Alltech’s Director of Research Dr. Karl Dawson, as he introduced Dr. Choct. Upon receiving his award, Dr. Choct, said he was extremely grateful and honored to receive such recognition. He proceeded to give an important presentation on the utilization of alternative feed ingredients to feed the world. “The population is increasing and the arable land is decreasing; 800 million people go to bed hungry,” said Choct. “Science needs new innovations and technologies to find solutions to problems such as these and assist in an effort to enhance social responsibility.”
Alltech’s 21st Symposium will continue until Wednesday 25th May. View daily updates and more from the symposium from the Alltech website's Symposium pages
