US feed plants get assistance with FSMA rules

Under FDA’s final animal food rule, a hazard analysis must be reviewed every 3 years, or earlier, if there are changes to equipment, manufacturing processes or other operations that make a review warranted.

To assist feed facilities in implementing the rules in a cost effective and good way, a hazard evaluation is done by the University of Minnesota looking at typical ingredients and processes associated with the manufacturing and distribution of animal feed and pet food.

The results of this hazard evaluation are hence shared with the feed facilities that are members of the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA). Those individual facilities will then be able to use the generic analysis to determine what, if any, “known or reasonably foreseeable” hazards at their facilities need to be addressed with either current good manufacturing practices or preventive controls.

AFIA and NGFA are partnering to finance this major project. To team up with the University’s work will help animal feed, feed ingredient and pet food facilities cost-effectively comply with a core requirement of the Food and Drug Administration’s final rules.

The total project cost is expected to reach $170,000 (€151,901). The projected completion date for the project is October 2016.