China’s grip on vitamin and amino acid supply raises U.S. food security concerns

USA – The United States’ heavy dependence on China for essential feed and food-grade vitamins and amino acids poses a significant threat to national food security, according to a new report released by the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER). 

The report, titled “Strategic Assessment on the Impact of Vitamin and Amino Acid Supply Chain Disruptions on US Food Security,” outlines how a supply disruption could affect livestock production, on-farm efficiency, and animal welfare nationwide.

Conducted in partnership with Decision Innovation Solutions and Lobo Consulting, the research draws on global production data, U.S. import patterns, and nutrient usage across animal diets. 

It examines whether alternative feed ingredients could help offset shortages, an analysis that found only partial, and ultimately insufficient, mitigation options.

According to IFEEDER’s findings, the United States relies on China for 78% of its total vitamin imports and 62% of the global amino acids used in domestic feed, pet food, and pharmaceutical products. 

For some nutrients, such as biotin, China currently produces 100% of the global supply, leaving the United States with no immediate fallback sources.

The report warns that if supplies were curtailed, impacts would cascade quickly through animal production systems. 

Nutrients such as lysine, essential for egg size, shell strength and albumen quality, directly influence the volume and marketability of eggs reaching retail shelves. 

Vitamins like vitamin A play a critical role in helping food-producing animals reach market weight efficiently, affecting both protein availability and affordability.

Although the study notes that farmers could adjust diets in some cases, any reduction in essential vitamins or amino acids would still harm animal health and productivity. 

“IFEEDER plays a critical role in identifying key questions and delivering independent, science-based research to inform US feed and pet food industry leaders,” said Lara Moody, IFEEDER’s executive director. 

She noted that the level of reliance on China “was more significant than many anticipated,” reinforcing the need for objective data to guide policy.

Industry urges government action

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) responded to the findings with a call for government and industry to coordinate on diversifying supply chains. 

AFIA president and chief executive officer Constance Cullman warned that, “For years, the US animal food industry has been sounding the alarm that China’s growing and dominant influence in the vitamin and amino acid supply chain poses sharp food security risks for Americans.”

Cullman added that the new data makes the issue “impossible for policymakers to ignore,” stressing that the risks are now too immediate to overlook. 

The AFIA plans to work with partners to determine which nutrients require urgent attention and to outline potential policy and trade pathways for reducing dependency.

The association emphasised that vitamins and amino acids in livestock feed, many identical to those in human supplements and fortified foods, are foundational to modern animal agriculture. 

Any instability in these supply chains, it noted, could ripple from farms to grocery stores.

Cullman said the industry welcomes the Trump administration’s recent engagement on the issue. 

“Addressing the potential supply chain threat to our food supply requires a joint industry and all-of-government approach,” she said, stressing the need for “risk- and science-based solutions that promote a more reliable and stable future food and feed supply.”

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.