FDA --Feed Rule Changes Under Constuction

[Anonymous]

At least they are starting to look at the rules :shock:
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Today 8/8/2005 4:16:00 PM


AMI Cattle Alert: Feed Rule Changes Under Construction



The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is moving forward to propose new regulations that would provide additional protection against the possible spread of BSE, FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford told the International Congress of Meat Science and Technology meeting in Baltimore this week.



The agency is focusing on eliminating Specified Risk Materials from all animal feed that could include brain and spinal cord from cattle 30 months and older, Crawford said.



The new rules will address lingering questions about compliance with the existing feed ban according to Crawford, even though inspections of more than 4,000 feed and rendering facilties that handle ruminant proteins resulted in only 10 facilities requiring official agency action to address deficiencies.



Crawford also highlighted other FDA priorities and accomplishments including efforts to improve the safety of food and to curb obesity in the U.S. Commissioner Crawford's speech will be posted on the FDA website at http://www.fda.gov

 

[PORKER]

FDA LAWS To Strengthen Ruminant Feed Ban

This week, FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford told International Congress of Meat Science and Technology attendees that FDA is focused on eliminating all specified risk material (SRM) in animal feed (not just ruminant feed). Most observers see this as a necessary step in addressing concerns about feed ban compliance.

Realizing it goes against my professed stance on sticking by sound science, I admit I'd be happy to see the issues of poultry litter, plate waste and cross-contamination removed from the discussion. I recognize it's a dangerous precedent to ignore science for expediency, but it makes sense to remove the issues our critics will use to compromise consumer confidence in our products.

Like many things in life, principles are important. In the end, however, a rational cost/benefit analysis must seek solutions that ultimately return the most value to the industry. If one applies the value equation from a long-term perspective, these contradictions seem more pragmatic than problematic.