What Is AAFCO?
Why Is It Vital to D&D Business?
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is a private, non-profit, voluntary membership association of local, state and federal agencies whose job is to regulate the sale and distribution of animal food and drug products.
AAFCO is not a regulatory agency itself, but its members include agencies like the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), which oversees regulation of D&D products.
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Does AAFCO regulatory guidance, which has been adopted by most states including Ohio, enable D&D to do business more efficiently across state lines?
How it works for D&D
Because AAFCO has member agencies in almost every U.S. state, a regulatory inspection by ODA can pass muster in other member states. It is not necessary for agencies from other states to inspect D&D — ODA is doing the job, which makes it less costly and more efficient for everyone.
AAFCO established this “level playing field” between the states more than a century ago. Its role has evolved over the decades with advances in animal nutrition and technology to meet new and increasingly technical and consumer-oriented challenges.
However, AAFCO’s core objectives remain fresh today as it provides:
• Process for defining ingredients used in animal feed and pet food
• Forums for state agencies, federal agencies, and industry groups to develop uniform language that states may adopt or reference in laws
• Specialized training for AAFCO members and industry
We benefit from transparency
AAFCO continually updates a host of reference materials, including the Official Publication, which includes legal definitions of ingredients approved for use in feed and pet food products. Our 750-plus products included!
Training references include the AAFCO Feed Inspectors Manual, which provided guidance for the ODA inspector who recently approved D&D operations.
See last month’s Quality CVA call out by Trina Gross. Thanks for all, ODA!
More “Did You Know?”
Thanks for learning about AAFCO! Please let us know other topics you’d like to learn about. Email claytong@ddingredient.com