The annual feed facility competition seeks to recognize facilities that have demonstrated excellence in the industry, according to AFIA. The event examines participating facilities in four areas including those producing commercial dry feed, plants working in the integrator space, those generating liquid feed as well as premix producers.
Interested facilities have to submit their application in early autumn, these are reviewed though November and additional steps are included in the review process for the sites selected as semi-finalists and finalists.
Western Milling’s facility in Goshen, California was recognized for its work in the commercial dry feed producer category.
Its facility is one of the largest and most diverse feed production operations in the US, producing more than 1.4 million tons of dry commercial feed annually. The facility currently handles more than 1,200 formulations.
Despite its large size and diverse operations, Western Milling has made feed safety a priority, said the AFIA.
With such large volume, efficiency is key. In a goal setting process, Buster Freeman, director of commercial feed operations at Goshen, realized that additional automation would improve the operation’s overall quality and efficiency, said the association.
The end result was the incorporation of a WEM system that allowed for the automation of nearly all functions of formula import and management, scheduling and feed production across seven mixing systems. Since the project went live in 2017, Freeman has seen dramatic and immediate results.
“The bottom line is that our products are safer, higher in quality and produced more efficiently as a result of this investment in automation,” said Freeman.
A Koch Foods’ mill in Morton, Mississippi was recognized as the top of the integrator category – for the second consecutive year.
The facility generates more than 800,000 tons of feed annually to support the company’s birds, AFIA reported. Organization and cleanliness are key elements in work at the site.
“Cleanliness is important not only from a safety and quality standpoint, but it also helps with employee morale and retention,” said Frank Garczynski, mill manager. “The facility is often visited by the Koch management team and potential and existing customers.”
To improve cleaning practices, the site has a built-in vacuum system, which was recently revamped. The system reaches all levels of the facility and has proven to be quite efficient at removing dust.
Quality Liquid Feeds (QLF) earned top billing in the liquid feeds category for the work done at the company’s facility in Menomonie, Wisconsin.
The company has prioritized customer service as it expanded its product range from liquid feed supplements to include a line of liquid feeds and cooked low-moisture blocks, said AFIA.
The facility in Menomonie has set a goal of continuous improvement and completed a $600,000 infrastructure project in 2018. The site-work was intended to expand ingredient storage, improve contaminant and ingredient handling and boost production process efficiency and allow additional capacity for custom feed formulations.
“What makes QLF outstanding is the excellent customer service we provide,” said Nick Brandon, plant manager. “We are available for customers of every sizes, from small operations all the way up to large corporations.”
Trouw Nutrition’s Neosho, Missouri facility reclaimed its title as top premix site this year – it won it before. back in 2016.
The mill focuses on pet food.
Trouw Nutrition acquired the facility in 2007 and has invested more than $7m in the facility. The plant uses a computer-control system to do in-process analysis and quality control, AFIA reported. And it has on-site quality assurance programs in place.
It has six quality certifications including AFIA’s Safe Feed/Safe Food certification and ones for making pet and animal feed, hazard analysis, and being free of restricted-use protein products and ractopamine.
“Combined with our commitment to procuring only the finest ingredients, we are fully committed to protecting our customers’ brands and ensuring pets receive the safest, highest-quality food,” said Doug Vanjoff, plant manager. “Our team focuses 100% on animal well-being and safety. We pride ourselves on taking the necessary steps to confirm ingredients and finished products to meet or exceed our customers’ standards.”
