PET Food Processing - June 2022 - 28

REGULATORY
The reduction
of raw material
production in
China is negatively
impacting the
availability of
aluminum cans in
the United States,
which currently
make up 75% of
total can usage
among US pet food
manufacturers.
©akaradaj, Moving Moment
- stock.adobe.com
since 2019. Recently, Walmart announced its starting
pay range for new truck drivers is between $95,000 and
$110,000 compared to the $87,500 average, which new
drivers were paid last year.
Over 100 companies have responded to the US
Department of Transportation's (DOT) reduction in red
tape and have developed registered apprenticeship programs.
Similar measures have encouraged an increase
in the issuance of commercial driving licenses by state
DOTs. The Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program
removed obstacles for drivers under the age of 21 to
safely explore trucking careers, including interstate
driving opportunities.
While the wage increases and regulatory measures
may reduce the shortage of drivers in the near term,
when coupled with increasing fuel costs and the normalizing
of demand for consumer goods, the long-range
forecast for trucking remains uncertain.
The AFIA supported the federal response to congested
ports through passage of the Ocean Shipping
Reform Act, which will make it more difficult for ocean
carriers to refuse American goods loads that are ready
to be shipped from US ports. The act requires carriers
to prove they're being reasonable when they levy late
fees for cargo, prohibit carriers from unreasonably refusing
to load cargo at US ports, and gives authority to
the Federal Maritime Commission to launch an investigation
into a carrier's potentially questionable business
practices. As of late April, the difference between the
House and Senate bills must still be reconciled before it
can go to the president to be signed into law.
It is also hoped that the $1 trillion Infrastructure
Act will have a noticeable impact on the economy and
transportation in the short
term. The law commits
$550 billion to transportation projects, the utility grid
and broadband. It also invests $110 billion in roads and
bridges, along with $65 billion for high-speed internet.
All of these public assets are essential for maintaining
modern business.
28 PET FOOD PROCESSING | June 2022 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
Sourcing ingredients
Animal fat supplies are tight in the marketplace. The
recent Institute for Feed Education and Research
(IFEEDER) pet food consumption report, conducted in
2020, indicates that beef and animal fats are the fourthFinding
and
retaining
employees
Economies are reopening
from COVID-induced
lockdowns amid widespread reports of employers unable
to find the workers they need. Across the globe,
employers
are
challenged to meet
their workforce
needs. The problem isn't unique to the United States;
the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and parts of the
European Union are facing similar shortages.
Employers in the United States added a record 6.6
million jobs during 2021, an increase unseen since
1976. A combination of rollout of the COVID vaccine
and passage of the massive $1.9 trillion pandemic relief
package signed in March 2021 have contributed to the
surge in new jobs. The unemployment rate is hovering
around 4%. According to the US Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the pay rate in manufacturing jobs is inching
upward from $26.69 per hour in March 2021 to $27.96
per hour in March 2022.
But despite all this optimism, employers are still
scrambling to fill positions in all aspects of pet food
manufacturing. The AFIA interviewed animal food
industry experts for their input on the topic and a key
takeaway was that the industry must ensure employees
are paid fairly, overtime is equally shared, employee relations
issues are successfully resolved, and we don't forget
that people are our most important asset and to treat
them as such. Pet food companies participating in a panel
discussion at the recent AFIA Pet Food Conference
also shared that accommodations for family needs is an
essential component for retaining employees.
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PET Food Processing - June 2022

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