AIC at 20: Working in support of UK dairy farmers and feed businesses on iodine feed limits
As AIC marks 20 years as the UK agri-supply industry’s leading trade association, we're looking back at some of its greatest achievements since it was founded in 2003.
Each week throughout 2023, we’ll explore a major achievement where AIC represented its Member businesses, promoted the benefits of modern commercial agriculture in the UK, and supported collaboration throughout the food chain.
This week we review how AIC supported the UK’s livestock feed sector and dairy farmers by opposing a drive to reduce iodine use in compound feeds.
Cow welfare concern
In 2005 the European Commission proposed to lower the maximum permitted level of iodine in compound dairy feeds in all member states, including the UK.
This posed a significant issue for dairy farmers in parts of the UK where pastures were iodine deficient. Having a higher amount of this important mineral in compound feeds was vital to maintain balanced cow nutrition and optimise herd performance.
Through its committees, AIC gathered evidence to support maintaining a 10 mg/kg maximum permitted level for iodine in complete dairy diets.
AIC also raised its concerns with officials at the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA), The European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC) and its Member Associations.
UK votes against
Taking AIC and veterinary expert advice, the UK opposed the European Commission proposal at a vote in July 2005, while most other member states supported it.
The UK won a 12-month extended deadline for introducing the new lower iodine limit of 5mg/kg. AIC and other stakeholders used this time to gather further information and build a robust case to support the 10mg/kg limit.
Without the work of AIC, it was likely that animal welfare of some UK dairy herds would have been impaired, and the UK cattle industry would have been put at competitive disadvantage.
Watch the video below to find out more about the livestock feed sector.
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Visit the AIC at 20 webpage for more content like this.
Authors
Oli Hill
As Head of Communications, Oli creates and oversees the content published on AIC's website, emails, Member briefings, print publications, and social media. A qualified multimedia journalist, he previously spent six years working at Farmers Weekly magazine as a Senior Reporter on the arable team, and latterly as Community Editor. More recently he was Communications Manager at Red Tractor.
