Did you know that the average cat eats about 0.8 lbs of soybean meal a year? The average dog? They're a different story – they eat about 4.98 lbs of soybean meal a year. Okay, we can all go home now, now that we know this life changing information. Wait, not quite yet – I have another point to make!
Who would have thought fifteen years ago when I was studying at Utah State University and later at the Royal Agricultural College in England that I'd find myself trying to understand just how much soybean meal was fed in 2014 to sixteen different animal species, including cats and dogs! But that's just what I found myself doing this summer for two related projects for the United Soybean Board.
So why would an organization like the United Soybean Board have in interest in how much soybean meal cats, dogs and other animals eat? The reason is because animals are the largest user of soybeans (in the form of soybean meal) and they want everyone to understand just how much they consume. We're also putting together a report that demonstrates the economic importance of animal agriculture for every state in the country and how animal agriculture has shifted geographically over the last decade. Very exciting, rewarding projects indeed.
Fifteen years ago I had projects that tasked me with creating financial and production models and other analysis tools, allowing me to adapt those skills to this particular set of projects. So, as we are all going about our day-to-day activities, wondering what implications our current task has for our future, remember "cats and dogs".
Oh, another thing I didn't think I'd be doing fifteen years ago? Owning a mini-van…and we're even on our second one! But they are the best way to avoid dinging the neighbor's car in the parking lot!