CVA Duncan: Antibiotic-Free Mill

CENTRAL VALLEY AG’S DUNCAN FEED MILL TO TRANSITION TO ANTIBIOTIC-FREE TO PROVIDE HIGHER VALUE PRODUCTS.

As consumers needs and wants change, Central Valley Ag (CVA) changes with them. Staying current on market trends is crucial to providing the best products and services. One of the ways CVA does this is by producing antibiotic-free pet food. Antibiotic-free pet food has become a popular item in many countries around the world and CVA plays a role in providing those products. “The consumer, not only in the US but around the world, has stated very definitely that they do not want antibiotics in the food products that they’re buying,” stated SVP of Feed, Robert Turek, “they prefer antibiotic-free for themselves and their pets, which are part of their family.”

PET FOOD

Currently, CVA produces pet food in one of its mills. The food produced here is mostly for pocket pets, as they are sometimes called, such as rabbits and guinea pigs. However, as the need for antibiotic-free feed grows, CVA has made the decision to switch a second mill to antibiotic-free.

Central Valley Ag’s Duncan Feed Mill will soon become the next antibiotic-free mill. Currently, the mill produces supplements, minerals and complete feeds for poultry, swine, and beef. After the process of switching to antibiotic-free is complete, the mill will be able to produce higher-value, antibiotic-free feed for multiple species. Currently, CVA is at its production capacity for non-antibiotic feeds and adding the Duncan mill will increase capacity by ten times.

MILL REGULATIONS

Many regulations must be met to become an antibiotic-free mill and a lot of work must be done before we can make the switch from conventional to non-medicated products. “We have to clean every single nook and cranny out of the whole mill,” said SVP of Feed, Robert Turek, “there are stringent certifications and practices we have to meet in order to be labeled as antibiotic-free. They require regularly scheduled, third party audits to verify we have met these certifications before the mill is able to start producing feed.”

When complete, the products produced at Duncan will meet human food grade standards. This means the food produced in the mill will be of high enough quality for human consumption. Central Valley Ag is proud to have a competent team of professionals capable of providing consumers with these higher-value products.

This change will allow the CVA feed division to remain sustainable and relevant into the future and be able to serve the ever-changing animal foods market. •••