Q&A with Dan King, 2026 AAFCO Board President

We sat down with Dan King, Commercial Feed Regulatory Payment Administrator of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and incoming AAFCO Board President.

Why did you first get involved with AAFCO?

I attended my first AAFCO meeting in August 2011 in Austin, TX. It was at that meeting that I was encouraged to join a committee. I wanted to lend some experience from my time as a state regulator as well as in industry, so I started down the AAFCO path with the Enforcement Issues Committee.

How has AAFCO contributed or played a role in your career?

AAFCO has allowed me to be better at my job by meeting with and drawing from the experiences of other members. Personal connections across a terrific group of federal and state officials, as well as industry experts, has helped my understanding of the feed and pet food industry on a national and international level. I can leverage other’s experiences to enhance food safety and uniformity in my state.

What’s one thing you’d like to say to encourage members to get involved?

I would encourage anyone who has an interest in getting involved with AAFCO to do so. You do not have to be an expert, just merely have an interest and willingness to participate and learn.

What do you hope to see for AAFCO in the next 5 years?

I would like to see AAFCO continue to improve the uniformity of feed laws across the country. With Pet Food Label Modernization being implemented and becoming standard across the country soon, I’m hoping it will be easier for consumers to understand what they’re feeding to their pets. I’m excited that AAFCO has launched the Scientific Review of Ingredient Submissions (SRIS) in partnership with Kansas State-Olathe. I hope to see this process become a universally trusted way for industry to bring new ingredients to market while maintaining scientific food safety oversight.

Tell us about the pets or animals in your life.

I have a small farm and raise beef cattle, a few pigs, a couple chickens, 6 barn cats and my aging dog.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I am truly honored to be the AAFCO President and look forward to a great year of meetings, discussions, and collaboration.