National Pork Producers Council Critical Of FDA Animal Feed Rule

Sep 29, 2015

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently released its final rule on animal feed, and NPPC has concerns with it.

Issued in response to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the regulation gives FDA considerably more regulatory and enforcement authority over the production, distribution and storage of all animal feeds.

It is closely modelled on the rule for human food and takes an intensive "HAACP-like" approach to feed safety.

Although the rule contains an exemption for farms, it does not exempt people or businesses that produce feed for animals they own if the feed mill and animals are not on the same farm.

Feed mills that supply contract growers - even in the same system where there is common ownership of the mill and animals - will not be exempt, according to FDA.

Covered feed production facilities will be required to have a hazard analysis conducted, develop good manufacturing practices and implement preventative controls.

Compliance will be costly for covered facilities, with estimates on the hazard analysis alone in the $170,000 range.

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Video: You Be The Judge: Evaluating 8 Breeding Rams!

It's time for some honest feedback here at Ewetopia Farms! Today, we’re showing you all eight rams we used for breeding this year. Instead of just presenting them, we thought it would be fun to create a “Ram Report Card” — where we point out both their strengths and areas for improvement.

But here’s the twist: you be the judge! In the comments, let us know what you like about each ram and what you think could be improved. No ram is ever perfect, but every one of them brings something valuable to the flock. By sharing perspectives, we all learn more about what to look for in good breeding stock.

At Ewetopia Farms, we raise registered Suffolk and Polled Dorset sheep, focusing on high-quality genetics, structure, and friendly temperaments. Evaluating breeding rams is part of the bigger picture of building stronger flocks — and we’re excited to share the process with you.

If you enjoy seeing how we evaluate our animals, follow along by subscribing to our channel. We share daily insights into the joys and challenges of sheep farming here in Canada.