ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, U.S. —  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued on Oct. 25 the proposed rule on Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals. The release marks the latest set of proposed rules issued by the agency to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).  

Because the rules will have a major impact on its members, the the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) said they will analyze the preventive control rules jointly with the Foreign Supplier Verification and the Accreditation of Third Party Auditors rules already released. 

“We have asked the agency to extend the deadline for comments to match the preventive control rules deadline," said Richard Sellers, AFIA vice-president of feed regulation and nutrition.

"Publishing the proposed preventive control rule for animal feed and pet food is another important step in FDA's ongoing implementation of FSMA," said David Fairfield, NGFA vice-president of feed services. "We intend to work closely with AFIA, Pet Food Institute and other industry partners in developing comments on the proposed provisions to help ensure the requirements are achievable and facilitate the continued manufacture and distribution of safe animal feed and pet food."

AFIA and NGFA said they will submit extensive public comments on the proposed rule.

"AFIA has been very active for five years in FSMA legislation," said AFIA President and Chief Executive Officer Joel G. Newman. "FSMA represents the most significant reform to feed regulation in several decades. It will help ensure the continuation of the highest standards of safety throughout the entire food system. AFIA will be working with FDA, feed industry partners and our members over the coming months and years to guarantee a smooth implementation of FSMA."

NGFA also was active in working with the U.S. Congress in drafting the FSMA law, noted NGFA President Randy Gordon, and has formed several industry working groups to develop comments on the preventive control proposed rules for human food and animal feed. 
 
"The industry has developed effective product safety programs that are tailored to the operations of individual facilities," Gordon said.  "It will be vitally important that FDA's regulations provide the flexibility necessary for companies to continue to effectively address feed safety, as well as provide the necessary education and training of its inspectors and the regulated industry.  All indications are that the agency shares those views, and we'll be eager to work with FDA in implementing this truly fundamental change in its approach to food and feed safety."    
 
FDA has posted a link to the proposed rules, which will be published in the Federal Register on Oct. 29. Comments will be due 120 days after the official publication in the Federal Register.