Notes From AAFCO Meeting August 2025 – Truth about Pet Food

The assembly began off with a speech from FDA Middle for Veterinary Medication Dr. Timothy Schell – appearing director. Dr. Schell gave an attention-grabbing speech…but from a pet proprietor perspective we can’t agree along with his message.

Dr. Schell defined that everybody attending the assembly was/is there for a similar cause – secure animal meals. He described conditions the place we come from totally different views at AAFCO, however once more all for a similar cause (secure animal meals). Personally – I disagree. Some are at AAFCO searching for higher methods to revenue from animal meals/feed. If you end up defining elements corresponding to rooster feces to be fed to cattle, and diseased animal materials to be fed to pets (undisclosed to the buyer) – you aren’t searching for secure animal meals…you might be working for reasonable elements to enhance your backside line.

Dr. Schell shared that FDA Middle for Veterinary Medication is dealing with a lack of 20 to 30 p.c of staff. He shared the company is “making an attempt to construct again”.

Throughout the Present Outreach session AAFCO introduced a doable new program – a “AAFCO Licensed Retailer Program”. This system is simply in dialogue at this level, however AAFCO defined it could be to supply training for pet retailer individuals to how pet meals is regulated. We assume this shall be a charge based mostly program, and we really feel assured that this system will present a biased perspective of how pet meals is regulated. Similar to explaining the legal guidelines themselves, however not how or if legal guidelines are literally enforced probably offering pet house owners with a false sense of safety.

The Present Outreach session additionally briefly mentioned a possible shopper outreach program. AAFCO said they’d one particular person prepared to take part on this potential shopper outreach program, it’s unknown who that’s or if this system will transfer ahead. We have been requested to take part on this program, we declined (believing AAFCO’s effort was not real, based mostly on years of expertise with them).

Throughout the Ingredient Definitions Committee session, a few points have been mentioned that I’ve heard many occasions through the years at AAFCO. They have been discussing a authorized definition of jerky treats (there isn’t a present definition of jerky treats despite the fact that they’ve been offered to customers for many years). An AAFCO consultant said they’d reached out to the jerky deal with trade for a suggestion of a authorized definition. In different phrases, AAFCO needs trade to inform regulators what they’re promoting to pet house owners. It’s past irritating while you hear regulators say ‘You inform us outline what you might be promoting’ – as an alternative of the opposite approach round ‘we’ll inform you what’s secure so that you can promote’.

One other dialogue throughout this session was elements that include seeds when the ingredient is secure for an animal to devour, however not the seeds. It was said “it’s the duty of the agency (ingredient producer) to have good manufacturing practices” (to take away the seeds). This may be high-quality – IF – regulatory authorities constantly inspected ingredient producers to guarantee they don’t seem to be together with seeds (or some other harmful ingredient). BUT…inspections hardly ever occur.

Day one of many AAFCO assembly ended with a presentation from Kansas State College which now holds the duty of approving new pet meals/animal feed elements for AAFCO. FDA used to carry out this position for AAFCO. From the copy of a presentation slide beneath, you possibly can see the variety of trade representatives that have been included within the growth of AAFCO’s pet meals/animal feed ingredient approval course of.

Permitting trade to have a voice in growing an ingredient approval course of comes with severe issues.

On Tuesday August 5, 2025 was the Pet Meals Committee session, which included one other presentation from a Kansas State College professor (and former Hill’s Pet Meals worker) relating to pet weight problems. The presenter identified some points that AAFCO might (ought to) deal with corresponding to lax regulatory oversight of feeding instructions on pet meals labels. Time will inform if AAFCO decides to take any motion.

Susan ThixtonPet Meals Security AdvocateAuthor Purchaser Beware, Co-Creator Dinner PAWsibleTruthaboutPetFood.comAssociation for Reality in Pet Meals

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