Expressing concern that "FDA's advanced notice of proposed
rulemaking (ANPRM) on BSE mitigation reflects a significant
shift in agency philosophy," a coalition of organizations
representing both the cattle and feed industries sent a
letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week,
according to a news release.
The letter explained that the "implementation challenges
in this approach may actually limit its effective implementation"
while also causing "significant unintended consequences
that adversely impact animal health."
The members of the coalition include the American Meat Institute,
American Feed Industry Association, American Sheep Industry
Association, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, National
Grain and Feed Association, National Meat Association, National
Milk Producers Federation and National Renderers Association.
The coalition suggested that there may be alternative solutions
to consider other than the removal of all SRMs from animal
foods. In the letter, it urged FDA to conduct appropriate
risk/benefit and cost/benefit analyses that would evaluate
various policies that include options other than a complete
ban on SRMs in animal feed, according to reports.
In the letter, the group suggested that in lieu of requiring
the removal of all SRMs from animal feed, the FDA propose
"a more integrated systems approach that is informed by
the results of USDA's enhanced surveillance program and
grounded in an appropriate risk/benefit and cost/benefit
analysis of various policy options." |
