ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US — The US House of Representatives recently passed a package of seven 2022 appropriations bills with a 219 to 208 vote. 

The legislation funds multiple government departments and administrations such as the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

A part of that legislation includes language encouraging the Food and Drug Administration to update the Policy and Procedures Manual Guide 1240.3605 to allow feed ingredients making claims for animal production, animal well-being, food safety and the environment to be regulated as a feed and not a drug as well as an amendment to add $5 million to the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine to help with expediting feed ingredient reviews.

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) is encouraged by this bill and supports how it will help improve safety in the feed and petfood industries. 

“The inclusion of this report language and additional funding for feed ingredient reviews in the spending bill is a huge win for the feed industry,” said Constance Cullman, president and chief executive officer of AFIA. “While other countries have moved forward with safe ingredients that will enhance the safety, quality, environmental impact and nutrition of feed and pet food, US animal food ingredient manufacturers have been trapped in the lengthy and costly web of reviews at the FDA. We hope this will bring the US feed industry to the same competitive level. We sincerely thank the committee and Representatives Baird, Craig, MN-02, Rouzer, NC-07, Schrier, WA-08, and Johnson, SD, for co-sponsoring the amendment.”