INTERVIEW FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2025 85 group? For which feed additives or raw materials in particular, and to what extent are you dependent on China? Our dependence on China for feed additives is a structural weakness in the U.S. supply chain, and the numbers make that very clear. Nearly 78% of vitamin imports come directly from China, with some—like vitamins B1, B3, B7, B12, D3, and K—almost exclusively produced there. The amino acid situation is just as concerning, with China controlling 77% of the lysine supply, 91% of threonine, 84% of valine, and 27% of methionine. This isn’t just about economics—it’s about food security and stability. When one country dominates a critical supply, it introduces risk at every level. If China decides to limit exports, impose quotas, or if trade tensions escalate, the entire U.S. livestock industry would be forced into emergency ration adjustments, disrupting productivity and increasing costs. This has already been seen in the past with supply chain disruptions driving up feed costs and making certain vitamins nearly unavailable for months. The bigger problem is that there’s no quick fix. Domestic production of these ingredients is limited due to high regulatory and environmental restrictions that make it nearly impossible to build large-scale chemical plants in the U.S. Meanwhile, diversification efforts—sourcing from other countries—are still in early stages and will take years to develop. Bottom line: Our reliance on China for feed additives is a major risk. If we don’t take meaningful action now—through policy changes, investment incentives, and international cooperation—we’re putting the entire U.S. livestock and feed industry at risk of future disruptions. In Q3 2024, the U.S. officially passed the Securing American Agriculture Act, which aims to regulate the country's dependence on Chinese agricultural products or inputs. How has this bill affected feed and feed additive producers? The Securing American Agriculture Act has sent shockwaves through the industry. On paper, the goal is clear—reduce U.S. dependence on China for critical agricultural inputs. But in practice, the
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