The meeting started with a speech from the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine Dr. Timothy Schell – Acting Director. Dr. Schell gave an interesting speech … But from a pet owner's perspective, we cannot agree with his message.
Dr. Schell explained that everyone who participated in the meeting was/is there for the same reason – safe animal food. He described situations where we come from different perspectives on Aafco, but again everything for the same reason (safe animal food). Personally – I don't agree. Some are at AAFCO in search of better ways to earn on animal food/feed. When defining ingredients such as chicken stools to be fed to cattle and sick animal material to be fed to pets (not revealed to the consumer) – you are not looking for safe animal food … you work for cheap ingredients to improve your final line.
Dr. Schell shared that the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine is facing a loss of 20 to 30 percent of employees. He shared the agency is “Trying to build back”.
During the current outreach session, Aafco announced any new program – a “AAFCO Certified Retailer Program”. The program is only in discussion at this time, but Aafco explained that it would be to provide training for participants in pet stores to how pet food is regulated. We assume that this will be a fee -based program and we feel confident that the program will provide a partial perspective on how pet food is regulated. Like explaining the laws themselves, but not how or if laws are actually potentially enforced to give pet owners a false sense of security.
The current outreach session also briefly discussed a potential consumer violation program. AAFCO stated that they had an individual who was willing to participate in this potential consumer upset program, it is unknown who it is or if the program will proceed. We were asked to participate in this program, we declined (to believe that Aafco's effort was not genuine, based on many years of experience with them).
During the Ingredient Department Committee, a few issues were discussed that I have heard many times over the years at Aafco. They discussed a legal definition of jerky sweets (there is no current definition of jerky sweets even though they have been sold to consumers for decades). An Aafco representative stated that they had reached the jerky treatment industry for a proposal for a legal definition. In other words, Aafco wants the industry to tell the supervisory authorities what they sell to pet owners. It is beyond frustrating when you hear supervisory authorities say “You tell how you define what you sell” – instead of the opposite “we will tell you what is safe for you to sell”.
Another discussion during this session was ingredients that contain seeds when the ingredient is safe for an animal to consume, but not seeds. It is stated “It's the responsibility of the company (ingredient manufacturer) to have good manufacturing practice ” (to remove seeds). This would be good – if – supervisory authorities that consistently inspected ingredient manufacturers to ensure that they do not include seeds (or any other dangerous ingredient). But … inspections rarely happen.
Day one of the AAFCO meeting ended with a presentation from Kansas State University that is now responsible for approving new pet food/animal feeding ingredients for Aafco. The FDA used to perform this role for Aafco. From the copy of a presentation box below you can see the number of industry representatives included in the development of AAFCO's Pet Food/Animal Feeding Ingredient's approval process.
Allowing the industry to have a voice in developing an ingredient approval process comes with serious problems.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 was the Pet Food Committee Session, which included another presentation from a Kansas State University professor (and former Hill's Pet Food employee) regarding pet obesity. The presenter pointed out some problems that Aafco could (should) address such as salmon control monitoring of feeding directions on pet mattic labels. The time will show if Aafco decides to take any action.
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author buyers watch out, co -authors dinner pawsible
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