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Morning One at AAFCO Meeting
- 1-17-2012
- Categorized in: Pet Food Regulations
Some significant progress (I hope) was made this morning to give pet parents a voice. Below are some quick updates…
AAFCO Committee Current Issues & Outreach Committee – Dr. Hofve and I both are going to ask to participate on this committee. Currently three members of The Pet Food Institute sit on this committee. I have high hopes we will be allowed to participate.
AAFCO Pet Food Committee – Thanks to Dr. Hofve – we are both now on AAFCO’s Pet Food Committee. Dr. Jean and I will both be sitting at the table tomorrow during the Pet Food Committee meeting.
A Dr. Ferrah (not sure if I have that spelling correct) of FDA spoke; many of his presentation was how FDA is seeking input from industry and AAFCO. Towards the very end, he mentioned that the FDA is working with consumers and industry. I raised my hand and asked how/when are they working with consumers. I believe the name he gave me was Pet Food Products Safety Alliance – he told me the FDA meets with this group of pet owners several times a year. Well, Pet Food Products Safety Alliance is Don Earl – who has for years been a strong advocate for pet food safety. I didn’t remember – ever – of hearing Don speak of having several meetings with the FDA each year – but just to confirm I emailed him. Nope – he’s never had such meetings with the FDA. So…I will track down Dr. Ferrah again over the next several days to see if I have the name wrong (of the pet food consumer group he was referencing) or if perhaps Dr. Ferrah was misinformed.
After this segment, I went up to the stage and spoke personally with Dr. Ferrah. I shared with him that in general – pet owners don’t have much confidence in the FDA. I shared that even reporting a pet food incident to FDA doesn’t happen often because pet parents don’t have much faith the FDA will do anything about it. I gave him the recent example of the Iams/Price Chopper pet food pull. I explained the concern that even though this product was pulled because of elevated aflatoxin levels, there was no recall. I asked what about the pet owners that didn’t get that notice – the pets that were still eating that food? Basically he agreed this would be a concern, that the FDA is trying, and that they would be willing to hear more pet owner concerns. I plan to stay in touch with Dr. Ferrah.
At about this point Eric Nelson of FDA (used to be with AAFCO) walked up and introduced himself. I shared with Eric Nelson the same example of the Iams/Price Chopper product pull. Though I did not get any solid response, I felt he was compassionate to the problem. Then he made the statement – FDA is a science based organization. Trying not to be too assertive – I joked with him I was just about to call his hand on the ‘science based’ claim. I said…”ok, then could you provide me with the science that proves pet food ingredients sourced from 4D animals provides nutrition?” He smiled and again made the statement he understood my concern. I don’t know that Eric Nelson is someone at FDA who could help us, but at least he listened. I will stay in touch with him as well.
A real puzzler...Sharon Krebs who has been the secretary (person that did everything in the office) for 20 something years was 'let go' effective end of March. AAFCO is hiring a management firm to handle 'things'. Sharon has always been very nice and helpful to me - I can't imagine that a management firm will be as nice and helpful.
I’ll share more tonight on Google Plus Hangout – talk to you later! I'm trying for 7 PM PT - but it might be a bit earlier - I'll post a notice on Facebook and Google Plus ten to fifteen minutes prior.
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author, Buyer Beware
Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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Good Luck, Susan, on continuing the on-going battle with AAFCO & the FDA. I give you much credit for standing up and making known the concerns of pet owners, everywhere. It is in my humble opinion, though, that the fastest way to grab their attention is for consumers to STOP BUYING PROCESSED PET FOOD. I have been doing this for years now. All of my dog's food is home cooked. I will never go back to commercial pet food. If more pet owners would start doing the same, the commercial pet food industry would spin on a dime. Every label on every bag would claim to be "home-cooked, with all natural (U.S. Sourced) ingredients." But even then, could you, or would you, trust them ? Not, I. Not ever.
Susan, and to others who applaud your efforts, I admire you. I want to be a part of your movement to stop the pet food industry's insanity that is making our pets sick and even killing them. One can this Florida bayou woman do to help? I am boycotting the industry by home cooking for my 4 legged babies (7) and preaching the "word" to my pet loving friends, but I can do much more if I had some direction.
Give us a clue....tell us how we can support you. How do we form a coalition to gain some strength and further promote your efforts? I do not want to be a silent party in this travesty that has been visited upon us (and our trusting pets).
Great Work Susan. Keep the fire hot under their butts. Maybe they should form a Pet owners committee where at large owners like myself can come meet with the FDA a couple of times a year so that our voices can be heard.
THANK YOU SUSAN!!!!!!
Eric Nelson is an incompetent boob. Many of us wrote his boss at AAFCO years ago, asking for him to be removed due to his lack of interest and uselessness.
Unless he's a recently changed man, don't expect anything from him, you'll be wasting your time.
Know that legions of pet owners are standing behind you. The FDA and AAFCO should recognize this and treat you with due respect. Thanks so much for all you are doing. Leandra Little