Rome, Italy – The International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) is pleased to announce that its 38th General Assembly today elected the new IFIF leadership team and Board of Directors for the 2026-2027 term of office.
New IFIF Chair and Vice-Chair
Delegates unanimously elected Constance Cullman, President & CEO of the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), as IFIF Chair for 2026-2027. Ms. Cullman succeeds Mr. Ruud Tijssens, who led IFIF as Chair from 2022 to 2025.
In addition, the General Assembly unanimously elected Roberto Betancourt, President of the Brazilian Feed Industry Association (Sindirações), as IFIF’s first Vice-Chair, following the adoption of the revised Articles of Association.
Accepting her election, Ms. Cullman thanked IFIF members for their trust and emphasized the importance of IFIF’s mission:
“I deeply appreciate the honor to serve as Chair of IFIF and the trust members have placed in me at this pivotal time. IFIF is a remarkable organization that unites diverse voices across the global feed and animal food sector to tackle shared challenges and deliver safe, affordable, and nutritious food for animals – and ultimately for people.
Ms. Cullman added: “Collaboration is essential, and IFIF plays a critical role in creating an environment where our industry can succeed, driving food security, feed safety and sustainable solutions worldwide. I am committed to leading with openness and to working together to champion science-based, sustainable practices that strengthen the global feed and food chain.”
Roberto Betancourt added, “it is truly an honor to be elected Vice-Chair of IFIF, and I thank all IFIF members for their trust. I greatly admire this organization and its role in representing our industry globally – from Brazil and Latin America to every region of the world. I look forward to working closely with the Chair and all our members to strengthen IFIF’s voice, foster collaboration, and ensure that together we meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
Treasurer Re-Elected
The General Assembly confirmed Dr. Reinder Sijtsma, Director Government Relations & Regulatory Affairs, Nutreco (Netherlands), as IFIF Treasurer for 2026-2027.
Board of Directors 2026-2027
The General Assembly elected the following representatives to the IFIF Board of Directors for the 2026-2027 term:
Corporate Members
- Adriano Marcon, Cargill Animal Nutrition, USA
- Andrea Simon, Evonik Operations GmbH, Germany
- Colm Moran, Alltech, France
- David Nickell, dsm-firmenich, Switzerland
- Ismael Roig, ADM, Switzerland
- Jesse Sevcik, Elanco Animal Health, USA
- Jolanda van Haarlem, Royal Agrifirm Group, Netherlands
- Reinder Sijtsma, Nutreco, Netherlands
- Séverine Deschandelliers, Adisseo, France
- Sven Weber, BASF, Germany
Feed Association Members
- Constance Cullman, American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), USA
- David Bray, Stock Feed Manufacturers’ Council of Australia (SFMCA), Australia
- Divya Kumar Gulati, CLFMA of India, India
- Joerg Seifert, EU Association of Specialty Feed Ingredients and their Mixtures (FEFANA), Belgium
- Melissa Dumont, Animal Nutrition Association of Canada (ANAC), Canada
- Pedro Cordero, European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC), Belgium
- Roberto Betancourt, Brazilian Feed Industry Association (Sindirações), Brazil
- Wang Zongli, China Feed Industry Association (CFIA), China
Looking Forward
Alexandra de Athayde, IFIF Executive Director, congratulated the new leadership:
“On behalf of all IFIF Members, I warmly congratulate Constance Cullman as our new Chair, Roberto Betancourt as our first Vice-Chair, Dr. Reinder Sijtsma as Treasurer, and the newly elected Board of Directors. Their leadership and expertise will guide IFIF as we continue to strengthen our role as the united voice of the global feed industry, supporting sustainable, safe, nutritious, and affordable food for a growing world population.”
She also recognized the leadership of Ruud Tijssens, who served as IFIF Chair 2022-2025, under whose tenure IFIF experienced significant growth in strategic projects and deepened engagement with global stakeholders. “Ruud’s commitment and vision have further strengthened IFIF’s foundations, ensuring the Federation is well positioned to advance its mission in the years ahead,” she added.
About IFIF
The International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) is made up of national and regional feed associations, feed related organizations, and corporate members from around the globe, representing over 80% of the feed production worldwide. IFIF provides a unified voice and leadership to represent and promote the global feed industry as an essential participant in the food chain that provides sustainable, safe, nutritious and affordable food for a growing world population. For more information on IFIF please visit www.ifif.org or contact Alexandra de Athayde, Executive Director, at info@ifif.org.
Issued by: IFIF
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