The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) named Charles Starkey, Ph.D., of Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health, its Member of the Year during its board of directors meeting May 12-13. Starkey is a staunch supporter of AFIA, known for providing leadership to strengthen the Safe Food/Safe Food program.
The Member of the Year Award is presented to an AFIA member who exhibits the utmost support throughout the year to help the organization achieve its goals and objectives. With the exception of the 83 members on the Food Safety Modernization Act work group who received the 2014 Member of the Year Award, only 33 individuals prior have been honored.
"Charles is a deeply committed member, always willing to vocalize his knowledge and feedback. He has spoken at multiple AFIA events and provided comments on AFIA's response to FDA on the Current Good Manufacturing Practices and Preventive Controls for Animal Food," said AFIA President and CEO Joel G. Newman.
Starkey guest lectured at AFIA's 2012 and 2014 Feed Industry Institutes where he presented on "Animal Proteins and Use of Antioxidants" and the 2015 Pet Food Conference where he discussed why research is essential in the animal protein business. He serves as an organization "ambassador" as he mentions AFIA everywhere he goes, linking the feed industry to rendering.
Starkey currently serves on the feed regulatory, ingredient approval and definition, international trade and pet food member interest groups, regularly attends committee meetings and serves as the liaison between the feed, pet food and rendering industries.
