By Andi Anderson
Ridley Feed Ingredients' Mendota, Illinois, facility has been named the 2026 Feed Facility of the Year by the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and Feedstuffs.
The annual award recognizes outstanding feed manufacturing operations that demonstrate excellence in areas such as quality assurance, food safety, productivity, regulatory compliance, workforce development, and customer service.
The award program also supports the AFIA Equipment Manufacturers Committee scholarship fund, which helps develop future leaders within the animal nutrition and feed industry.
"Ridley Feed Ingredients' Mendota team has built a culture where safety, quality, operational excellence and customer satisfaction are part of everything they do," said Gary Huddleston, AFIA's Senior Director of Feed Manufacturing and Regulatory Affairs.
"Their strong employee involvement in continuous improvement and use of data to guide decision-making demonstrate the kind of leadership and commitment to excellence that this award is designed to recognize," Huddleston added.
Managed by Corey LaBarge, the Mendota facility produces more than 43,000 tons of feed ingredients and premixes annually for a variety of animal species. Originally built in 1960, the plant has undergone multiple upgrades to improve efficiency and support continued growth. All products manufactured at the facility are packaged before distribution.
The operation emphasizes employee safety, product quality, customer satisfaction, and operational performance. Employees actively participate in improvement initiatives, while data-driven management practices help guide business decisions and performance monitoring.
“Winning the Feed Facility of the Year award is a tremendous source of pride for our entire team,” said LaBarge. “This recognition reflects the commitment our employees bring to the facility every day, from maintaining high standards for safety and quality to continuously looking for ways to improve our operations. It takes every member of our team working together to achieve this level of excellence, and we are proud to see the hard work recognized by the industry.”
AFIA has recognized excellence in feed manufacturing since 1985. In addition to industry recognition, participating facilities receive benchmarking reports that help identify performance strengths and opportunities for improvement.
2026 Feed Facility of the Year Program Honorees
- Ridley Feed Ingredients, Mendota, Illinois – Feed Facility of the Year and Highest Quality & Food Safety Score
- Famo Feeds, Freeport, Minnesota – Semifinalist
- Mountaire Farms, Candor, North Carolina – Semifinalist
- TransAgra International, Storm Lake, Iowa – Semifinalist
- Wayne-Sanderson Farms, Mineola, Texas – Semifinalist
- Western Milling, Goshen, California – Semifinalist and Highest Productivity & Efficiency Score
- Westway Feed Products, Houston, Texas – Semifinalist and Highest Employee Safety Score
Photo Credit: american-feed-industry-association
Categories: Illinois, Business, General