WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and Kansas State University (KSU) are partnering to conduct a training course to assist animal food facilities in complying with requirements established by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

The preventive controls for animal food course will be June 28-30 in Manhattan, Kansas, U.S. It is designed for industry personnel interested in learning about FDA's new animal food safety regulatory requirements that affect all sectors of the feed industry. The course is appropriate particularly for those individuals responsible for developing animal food safety plans and seeking accredited hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) training.


Developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA), the course is being made available in response to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) final rule under the FSMA, issued on Sept. 17, for current good manufacturing practice, hazard analysis, and risk-based preventive controls for food for animals. Under the new rule, covered facilities are required to establish and implement an animal food safety system that includes an analysis of hazards and implementation of risk-based preventive controls. To do so, the rule requires that a "preventive controls qualified individual" develop and implement a written animal food safety plan for the facility. This course is the "standardized curriculum" recognized by FDA as being adequate for training an individual to meet the requirements for a "preventive controls qualified individual." 

By successfully completing the course, participants will earn a preventive controls qualified individual certificate from the FSPCA and a HACCP training certificate from the International HACCP Alliance. 

"NGFA is proud and very pleased to partner with Kansas State University to provide food Safety preventive controls alliance and HACCP training for animal feed, feed ingredient and pet food facilities,” said David Fairfield, NGFA senior vice-president of feed services who also serves as chair of the animal food subcommittee of the FSPCA and was involved in developing and securing FDA approval of the training curriculum. “This training will help the animal food industry comply in an efficient, cost-effective and timely manner with the requirements of FDA's final regulations implementing FSMA. Among NGFA's top priorities as an organization during the next several years is to provide the industry with accurate and fact-based information about FSMA, as well as the practical means to comply with its new rules."

Topics covered in the course will include: applicability of the preventive controls for animal food rule; requirements for current good manufacturing practices; and appropriate steps needed to develop a food safety plan, such as hazard analysis and implementation of preventive controls. 

More information and registration is availablehere