In a surprising move, the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) published in the Federal Register AAFCO copyrighted ingredient definitions. When the FDA CVM wants something, it appears they will do anything, bully anyone to get what they want (including publishing other people’s copyright protected information).
FDA CVM wants to become the single agency that approves pet food and animal feed ingredients, a task previously performed by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) with the FDA CVM collaboration. FDA CVM officially terminated their agreement with AAFCO and announced their plans to regulate pet/animal food ingredients.
With the FDA’s announcement, a shocking surprise was released to the public. FDA published in the Federal Register – available for anyone to download – all pet food/feed ingredient definitions and AAFCO feed regulations. A document once held ‘close to the vest’ by AAFCO, was never allowed to be shared publicly. The AAFCO website still states this about their ingredient definitions:
“Copyright Notice: Official AAFCO Publication © 2023 The Association of American Feed Control Officials. All rights reserved. The Official Publication may not be reproduced, adapted, distributed, performed in public, publicly displayed, transmitted, or broadcast, in whole or in part, without permission or as permitted by law. It is strictly forbidden to use the Official Publication, in whole or in part, as training data for artificial intelligence purposes without permission or as permitted by law.”
FDA CVM seems to have ignored that Copyright Notice. FDA CVM publishes all AAFCO works WITHOUT copyright restrictions.
Pet owners can download all of this important information here: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FDA-2024-D-2977-0003.
AAFCO may have released their important ingredient definitions in the FDA CVM, however based on historical evidence, if AAFCO gives permission to the FDA CVM to publish their ingredients – this is annoying, under serious pressure from the FDA CVM.
They got what they wanted, but we didn’t.
We have never believed that ingredient definitions should be private, we have expressed this belief to AAFCO and FDA on numerous occasions over the years. In 2017 we filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the FDA CVM for definitions. Two years later, the FDA denied our request saying: “we reject a copyrighted document.”
In other words, when we wanted this information to be public for the benefit of pet owners – the FDA refused. But when they want only definitions to control the future of pet food ingredients, it’s perfectly acceptable to publish a copyrighted document.
Is this good or bad for pet owners?
With certainty, pet owners deserve public access to the legal definitions of ingredients in their pet food. This very long pdf document released by the FDA CVM is not ideal for pet owners to search, but it is better than keeping this information private and tightly regulated by AAFCO as it has been. The previous system of ingredient approvals, identification process, ingredient names, etc. – was a very flawed system. It needs to be improved.
However…
…we are appalled by the FDA CVM’s controversial behavior of simply taking (robbing?) AAFCO’s work. We consider this a sign of future FDA CVM behavior.
What other plans does the FDA CVM have for pet food that we won’t know about until it’s too late? What else will the agency do just because they want to (not because it’s what’s best for our pets)? If FDA CVM can easily destroy AAFCO – an organization they have worked with for decades – who is on their radar to destroy next?
The ONLY good thing here, is that pet owners can now download a document to their computer and read the legal definition of the ingredients used in their pet’s food. Unfortunately, there are so many questions about what’s next – it’s hard to enjoy something this beautiful.
We (Association for Truth in Pet Food) will submit our comments to the FDA on their formal announcement to take over sole control of pet/animal food ingredients. We will share our comment once it is completed. Pet owners can read the FDA’s plans HERE by clicking on the two “Policy” items listed. Also, pet owners can provide comments on either or both policies.
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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