The feed standards are designed to integrate the regulatory activities of partner agencies into an efficient and effective process for improving feed safety in the US.
The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (Pub. Law 111-353) called for enhanced partnerships of government agencies and provides a legal mandate for developing an Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS).
A key principal of an IFSS is the uniform application of model programme standards so that regulatory agencies conduct inspections under the same set of standards. Model regulatory program standards currently exist for human food programmes (Manufactured Food Regulatory Programme Standards and the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Programme Standards), but prior to the development of the feed standards, there was no recognised uniform standards for state feed regulatory programmes.
As the US moves toward integrating food safety resources, uniform standards across feed regulatory programs are critical.
The feed standards are standards for animal feed regulatory programmes, not for manufacturers of animal feed. The feed standards are comprised of eleven individual standards: regulatory foundation, training, inspection programme, auditing, feed-related illness or death and emergency response, enforcement programme, outreach activities, budget and planning, laboratory services, sampling programme, and assessment and improvement of standard implementation.
The eleven standards, designed to strengthen the safety and integrity of the US animal feed supply, are also the core elements of a State’s regulatory programme. The feed standards will provide a framework that every State can use to determine the strengths and needs of their programme. The feed standards also provide the foundation for mutual reliance on inspections and other work conducted by Federal and State agencies.
The Animal Feed Regulatory Programme Standards (AFRPS) are available on FDA’s website. Inquiries on the AFRPS can be sent to FDA’s Office of Partnerships at OP-ORA@fda.hhs.gov or Jenny Murphy in FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (jenny.murphy@fda.hhs.gov).
