The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) has announced that Lara Moody, the Institute for Feed Education and Research’s (IFEEDER) executive director, has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF).
As a member of the USDA AAQTF, Moody will have a role in advising the agriculture secretary on air quality issues and their connection to agriculture. She will contribute to reviewing federally supported research, fostering collaboration across government levels to align agricultural air quality policies, and ensure that USDA-backed conservation practices are grounded in peer-reviewed science and remain economically viable for producers.
“The animal feed industry has been working hard to bring innovative feed technologies to the market that can reduce enteric methane production or decrease nitrogen and phosphorous loss into the environment,” said AFIA President and CEO and IFEEDER President Constance Cullman. “With Lara Moody’s background in animal production systems, manure management and crop production, she understands the essential role agriculture has in adopting practices that support air quality. Lara Moody will undoubtedly raise the right questions and provide input to the secretary of agriculture as the department moves forward in supporting air quality programs or developing new regulations.”
With degrees in agricultural and biosystems engineering, and experience in academic research institutions and industry organizations, Moody is well prepared to address the practical application of science and research. Her experiences with air quality and manure management research at Iowa State University and her roles working with fertilizer and feed industry members make her well qualified to serve on the USDA AAQTF.
