Annemieke Gras and Alex Hamhuis-Mulder about ForFarmers
What is your relation to Feed Design Lab?
ForFarmers provides feed solutions for (biological) livestock. To further develop these solutions, in which innovation plays a key role, we work together with knowledge centers such as the Feed Design Lab. Since 2019, ForFarmers has partnered with Feed Design Lab. In reality it works like this: When we see synergy in our activities, in terms of experiments and comparable research, we seek each other out and try to strengthen our combined efforts.
What is your position at ForFarmers ?
We (Annemieke Gras and Alex Hamhuis-Mulder), as process engineers/technologists, are the bridge between nutrition and production. What is special about this role is that we need to take into account both the prospects of the end user (the farmer) as well as the production process. By using innovation and the teachings of research, we continually improve our processes.
What is the position of ForFarmers in the animal production sector?
ForFarmers is a leading feed production company in Europe. We produce feed for ruminants, pigs and poultry, among others. Using our mission statement, “For the future of farming”, we provide direction to what we do: We are committed to the continuity of the farms and to increase sustainability of the agricultural sector. Besides providing our clients with advice and feed, we contribute to producing feed in a sustainable way partnered with a price that the consumer can afford, through consultation structures and partnerships. Collaborations with research centres like the Feed Design Lab, Schothorst Feed Research and Wageningen University & Research aid us in these developments.
Why are you a partner of Feed Design Lab?
It is important to support each other with knowledge and research. FDL is a large medium that everybody can make use of. We are more than happy to join initiatives where we can achieve more together than by working alone. In this way, we can join forces on providing optimal animal performance coupled with the lowest footprint.
Which topics you think Feed Design Lab should be active in?
The processing of more and more circular residuals, like wet residual products from food industry and new raw materials like insects. Another important topic for our environmental impact and costs is energy saving in the feed production. More knowledge in the on these topics will improve sustainability in the feed production process.