The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), an independent organization that guides state, federal and international feed regulators with ingredient definitions, label standards and laboratory standards, recently shared concerns its for the current version of the proposed federal law that would defund the state. oversight and authority to review the marketing or labeling of pet food.
The Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform Act of 2024, otherwise known as the PURR Act, was introduced in Congress in mid-February, with the goal of creating a more streamlined federal regulatory process that would prohibit state governments from directly or indirectly establishing, maintaining, enforcing, or enforcing any authority or requirement relating to the marketing or labeling of pet food.
AAFCO is concerned that the proposed legislation, as currently presented, could have negative effects for consumer protection, reduce pet food label transparency, and jeopardize the safe promotion of pet food products. pet.
“State feed programs are the first line of defense protecting consumers from fraudulent or mislabeled pet food products,” said Austin Therrell, executive director of AAFCO. “Today, many state regulators actively inspect pet food labeling before products are on the market to ensure that any marketing claims on the label or packaging are accurate and have the necessary scientific data to back them up. statements. Under the new PURR Act, this important layer of consumer protection will be completely lost.”
Most US state feed programs support the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by providing premarket reviews of pet food labels to ensure that permitted marketing claims are substantiated by data. and is not false or misleading to the consumer. The PURR Act would allow pet food manufacturers to distribute pet food products that “self-proclaim” as safe without ingredients or nutritional claims being verified by a government authority prior to the product. are available for sale and consumption.
AAFCO is also concerned with the “ingredients sometimes present” language currently included in the bill, which states that manufacturers can use packaging words such as “and/or,” “contains one or more of the following,” or other words indicating that the pet food may not contain the ingredient. If passed, it would allow manufacturers to change or remove ingredients without disclosing this information to consumers.
“Many consumers purchase pet foods and treats based on the dietary needs or allergen requirements of their pets. A lack of transparency will leave consumers not knowing which ingredients what their pets may or may not eat, leading to potential health risks,” Therrell added.
Currently, the FDA and state governments work in partnership under a national integrated food safety system that allows the FDA to use the expertise and resources of state feed programs to strengthen inspections. on pet food safety and protect consumers against unsafe, misleading or deceptive advertising and labeling practices.
“Although there are certain opportunities to improve efficiency and bring more innovation to the market, it must be done in a safe and transparent way. The interaction with the states and those closely involved in the daily -day oversight of pet food products is necessary to truly create a modernized regulatory system,” concluded Therrell.
