Sarah McKay

Title

Director of Market Development

Company

National Corn Growers Association

Presentation description:

Research update: Rethinking the role of corn in the pet food industry — McKay takes a look at the current myths around corn in pet food and presents the latest research on gut health and the antioxidants profile, among many other benefits of including corn in pet food diets. Beyond the formulation components, this talk will also explore the opportunity and role corn can play in bio-based pet products. As consumers and investors increasingly take interest and demand sustainable products, there is an opportunity for the pet food industry to utilize commercially available feedstocks and processes to create sustainable packaging and products including litter liners, toys and pet waste bags, among others.

Experience:

McKay is the director of market development at the National Corn Growers Association. She provides key support to NCGA’s animal agriculture, industrial use and new use efforts. McKay’s portfolio includes work on the role of corn in pet food and biobased products. Prior to NCGA, McKay worked as a part of the procurement/supply chain team supporting dairy operations at General Mills. She earned a master’s degree in agricultural and applied economic management from Virginia Tech and bachelor’s degrees in both animal and poultry sciences and agricultural applied economics with an emphasis in international trade and development from the same institution.