Regulatory Updates: Page 30

Animal Feed Regulations & Safety

EU drafts vegetable oil regulation to prevent dioxin contamination

Draft regulation meant to provide increased protection against dioxin contamination has been approved by the European Union member states at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health and has been sent on to the European Parliament and Council, according to reports. The regulation, a response to Germany's December 2010 and January 2011 dioxin crisis that resulted in the shutdown of egg and meat sales from 4,700 farms after contaminated animal feed was found, focuses on four key measures.

Feed Additives

Grain, feed group NGFA endorses speculative position limits

The National Grain and Feed Association issued a preliminary statement after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s October 18 approval of final regulations implementing speculative position limits for agricultural and other commodities under the Dodd-Frank regulatory reform law. NGFA said: “While the text of the CFTC’s final regulations has not been released yet – and will warrant close examination once it is – the National Grain and Feed Association does conceptually support the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s action to continue to apply speculative position limits for enumerated agricultural commodities, which include grains and oilseeds.

Animal Feed Manufacturing

AFIA urges FDA to maintain separate animal feed, food FSMA rules

In comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the Food Safety Modernization Act’s preventive controls requirements, the American Feed Industry Association urged FDA to maintain the spirit and specifics of the new law’s separations for human food and animal food regulations. FSMA requires FDA to publish final preventive control rules by July 2012, which AFIA says represents the largest change in regulation of feed, pet food and ingredients in history.

Regulatory Updates

Grain association praises agricultural swap transaction regulations

The National Grain and Feed Association has commended the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for removing constraints that previously existed for certain types of off-exchange agricultural transactions when it voted unanimously to issue final regulations on agricultural swap transactions. Specifically, the NGFA praised the CFTC for not imposing any additional regulatory restrictions on agricultural swaps than would apply to non-agricultural swap products.

Regulatory Updates

China feed officials study US distiller grains industry

Chinese regulatory officials studied the U.S. Dried Distiller Grains industry with instructors at the Kansas State University International Grains Program as part of a program to better inform key Chinese regulatory officials about the U.S. ethanol industry and DDGS. The officials represented China's Ministry of Agriculture and the China Feed Industry Association.

Regulatory Updates

Rep. Latham on ethanol lobby: ‘The ethanol debate is over’

Most involved in animal agriculture have been hoping to hear the pronouncement that the ethanol lobby had finally lost a vote in Congress, and that day has come at last. Speaking at the United Egg Producers Legislative Board Meeting in Washington, D.C., May 9-11, Rep. Tom Latham, a republican from Iowa, said that “ethanol got creamed” in the last two house votes.

Regulatory Updates

US corn growers concerned over possible federal regulation of ditches, farm ponds

The possibility of federal government regulation of ditches and farm ponds has corn growers raising concerns over new Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers guidelines for determining federal waters that are jurisdictional under the Clean Water Act. While the current draft guidance maintains existing exemptions for normal farming and ranching activities, the National Corn Growers Association has said it is concerned that the new proposal could expand the EPA’s authority over isolated waters including ditches and farm ponds.

Feed Additives

US feed industry urges FDA to continue regulatory discretion for ingredients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration should continue to exercise regulatory discretion to maintain the continued availability of a number of unapproved animal drug products, said the National Grain and Feed Association in a statement to the FDA. The types of animal feed and pet food products currently regulated by the FDA that could fall within the category of “unapproved animal drugs” include products formulated from animal feed ingredients that help manage, from a dietary and nutritional standpoint, a specific disease or condition under a licensed veterinarian’s professional supervision, said the NGFA.

Regulatory Updates

Corn Growers Association responds to US House passing of Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act

The National Corn Growers Association has commended the U.S. House of Representatives' passage of the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011 (H.R. 872), which states that National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits are not required when applying pesticides according to their Environmental Protection Agency-approved label. For most of the past four decades, water quality concerns from pesticide applications were addressed within the registration process under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, rather than a Clean Water Act permitting program.

Feed Mill Management

Feed mill managers discuss Food Safety Modernization Act at feed mill forum

Vice President of Feed Regulation and Nutrition for the American Feed Industry Association Richard Sellers addressed feed mill managers at a recent seminar, focusing on the Food Safety Modernization Act and its ramifications on the industry. During the event, sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association’s Poultry & Egg Institute, Sellers said that the industry is experiencing some of the most significant changes in the Food and Drug Administration's regulation of feed since 1958.

Regulatory Updates

Do we have to follow the Swedish model on CO2?

Their actions will inevitably result in importation from warmer climates or nations with less restrictive regulations.

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