The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has jurisdiction over the production of meat, poultry and egg products – including slaughter facilities. A USDA representative will be on-site during hours of operation at all slaughter facilities, and food production facilities (foods containing more than 2% cooked meat and foods containing more than 3 % raw meat). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has jurisdiction over all food products that contain less than 2% cooked meat and less than 3% raw meat. The FDA is not on site during hours of operation at any food manufacturing facility.
One would think that since pet foods contain more than 2% cooked meat, they would be regulated by the USDA…but, that is not the case. For undisclosed reasons, the FDA has jurisdiction over pet food – both manufacturing and distribution.
One pet food exception is human grade pet foods that are manufactured to human food standards (in a USDA licensed manufacturing facility). These pet foods are under the jurisdiction of the USDA during manufacturing, but return to the jurisdiction of the FDA when they sit on store shelves. All other pet foods are under FDA jurisdiction during manufacturing and distribution.
Every three months the USDA releases statistics to the public about the number of animals slaughtered for meat consumption, and important to pet food consumers the agency releases statistics on condemned animals (animals which the USDA considers unsafe for food).
USDA statistics for the first three months of 2024 are:
The “Animal Carcasses Condemned” the total is 51,142 animals (mainly cattle and pigs). The “Chicken Carcasses Condemned” is 1,961,040 animals (mainly chicken and turkey).
If we estimate an average weight of livestock at 300 lbs each, and estimate the average weight of poultry animals at 8 lbs each – the total pounds of USDA condemned animals in the first three months of 2024 is 31,030,920 lbs.
Once this material has been condemned, it is no longer under the jurisdiction of the USDA. The USDA does not have the authority to decide where these condemned animals go – as long as it is not in their jurisdiction (foods – except feed grade pet foods – that contain more than 2% meat) .
Enter the jurisdiction of the FDA.
In stark contrast to the USDA, the FDA accepts 31 million pounds of condemned animals in pet food. The FDA’s position on condemned pet food animals is (quote from Dr. Steven Solomon director of the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine in April of 2019): “we do not believe that the use of diseased animals or animals that have died other than slaughter for animal feed poses a safety concern and we intend to continue to exercise enforcement discretion.”
The meat/poultry safety regulatory authority (USDA) believes that 31 million pounds of these animals are not safe for consumption. But in another jurisdiction (FDA) – which has no experience with meat/poultry safety – has decided that 31 million pounds of these condemned animals do not ‘present a safety concern’ to the animals that eat them.
By the way, the USDA used to offer “certified pet food” program. Unlike the FDA, the USDA requires that all pet food meats come from USDA inspected and passed animals. Meat from suspected animals is not allowed.
And by the way, the FDA doesn’t just allow sick animals and unkilled rotting animals to be processed into pet food…they also refuse to require pet food manufacturers to disclose these ingredients on pet food labels.
Pet owners do not know if their pet’s food contains meat from sick or condemned animals. Pet food manufacturers (who use these quality ingredients) are allowed to profit from the sale of undisclosed condemned animal material. We submitted an official request to the FDA (Citizen Petition) in July 2022 confirming the legal requirement for disclosing this information to pet food consumers. The FDA is required by law to provide us with a response within 120 days. However, the FDA ignored this deadline, almost two years later we are still waiting for the FDA’s decision.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Buyer Beware of Author, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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