PET Food Processing - October 2019 - 49

ASSOCIATIONS
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ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN
FEED CONTROL OFFICIALS
A forum for fair and consistent regulations for animal food ingredients.
or modification of official definitions and terms used
to describe ingredients.
Other pet food and treat industry organizations,
including the American Feed Industry Association,
Pet Food Institute and National Grain and Feed
Association, work closely with AAFCO to bring diverse market perspectives and experiences to the table.
Aside from mitigating ingredient regulations,
AAFCO coordinates its model regulations with food
safety issues in mind. For example, the organization
helped update the Model Bill and Regulations on a
state-by-state basis, ensuring FSMA-compliant language is used throughout and that states enforce uniform regulations to aid interstate commerce. It also
hosts training sessions and meetings on food safety
issues, such as naturally occurring contaminants in pet
food and treat products that could impact the pet and
pet owner populations.
AAFCO is focused on expediting the process of approving new ingredients for use in pet food, treats and
other animal feeds to help processors get to market
faster. However, speeding up the process is reliant on
the US Food and Drug Administration's ability to increase its ingredient review staff, according to AAFCO.
Although AAFCO does not directly represent pet
food and treat manufacturers, the association works in
the spirit of collaboration to bring states and industry
organizations together, encouraging processors to network with state and federal regulatory officials, attend
AAFCO meetings to learn more about issues affecting
the industry, and participate in trainings.

FAST FACTS

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When discussing pet food ingredients and regulatory deliberations surrounding those ingredients,
the Association of American Feed Control Officials
(AAFCO) will almost always be mentioned in the
conversation. AAFCO's members differ from other
pet food and treat industry organizations because its
membership is limited to state and federal regulatory
agencies and officials for animal food.
The main goals of the association are to encourage
professional development, cooperation and communication among regulatory agencies and personnel,
and support the use of technology and research by
regulatory agencies.
AAFCO offers valuable resources to pet food
processors, including an annually updated Official
Publication, a collection of definitions for all pet food
ingredients approved for use in the US since 1934. In
February 2019, the association unveiled an online version called the Online Database of Ingredients (ODI)
to provide the most up-to-date information on animal
food ingredients to processors and suppliers. These
two resources can be found on AAFCO's Feed Basic
Information Network (BIN). AAFCO also provides
contact information for each state's regulatory agency
for animal food through an interactive digital map.
The association's top priorities for 2019 and 2020
are to achieve FSMA education at the state level so
processors operating in multiple states can maintain
compliance; develop modernized pet food label components, including the nutrition facts, ingredient lists,
safe-handling instructions and nutritional adequacy;
continue a smooth flow of interstate commerce and
trade, especially amid the rise of hemp as an ingredient
in pet products; and provide international outreach to
the global feed community.
AAFCO is comprised of a board of eight directors plus the previous president of the board, a group
of committees, industry advisers and investigators. Industry advisors are volunteers who represent
industry organizations and companies on AAFCO
committees and working groups, while investigators
are state regulators who coordinate the development

"[AFFCO's
Online Database
of Ingredients]
helps align the
nomenclature
that's used in a
company, in the
industry, with
the regulatory
world and with
labeling."
Susan Hays, executive
director, AAFCO

Founded: 1906
Headquarters: Champaign, Illinois
Events: Annual and Mid-Year meetings,
Pet Food and Feed Labeling Workshops
Website: www.aafco.org

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PET Food Processing - October 2019

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