April 2001 - Newsline

Renderers Assure Feed Ban Compliance with Audits

By Tina Caparella

Both the U.S. rendering and feed industries have acted to further heighten the assurances of producers of animal protein ingredients and protect the nation’s beef supply by implementing additional safeguards to prevent bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from occurring in the United States. The Board of Directors of the Animal Protein Producers Industry (APPI) and the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) voted in February to create a self-certification program to ensure compliance with the current mammalian protein feeding ban instituted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). AFIA further approved advocating the voluntary withdrawal of ruminant-derived meat and bone meal from facilities that produce feed for ruminant animals.

The actions of the associations are in response to increasing consumer concern over BSE, which is present in European countries but has never been confirmed in the United States, and the release of FDA’s enforcement plan figures in January that showed less than 100 percent compliance with the feed ban.

“The voluntary action is being taken in recognition of the role of the rendering industry to insure compliance with government regulations while demonstrating an active commitment to feed/food safety and animal and public health,” stated in part an APPI press release. The certification programs have received top priority in assembling with APPI setting a target date for implementation of April 1, 2001.

For renderers, APPI has contracted with a third party to perform audits of participating companies. APPI is working diligently to not only involve members of their organization and the National Renderers Association (NRA), but any rendering company operating in the United States.

“To reach the APPI/NRA goal of 100 percent compliance with the rule, the APPI Special Task Force (STF) must have an accurate inventory of every protein producer, protein blender, or merchandiser of these products,” stated David Kirstein, APPI/STF chairman.

Prior to an audit, renderers will be provided an inspectional outline with the appropriate attachments to do their own self-assessments to evaluate compliance with the FDA rule. After completion of the company’s “internal self audit” and a determination that the facility is complying with the requirements, an appointment with the third party auditor is then scheduled. APPI’s task force has recommended to the auditor, Cook and Thurber of Madison, WI, to use the “fast track” approach to expedite the inspection with an objective of completing the inspection cycle in six weeks, or by May 15, 2001. Cook and Thurber has approximately 26 qualified auditors located throughout the country. All audit results will be held in confidentiality.

Why a Third Party?
For the past three years, FDA and state inspectors have performed nearly 10,000 inspections of renderers and feed mills to ensure compliance with the feed ban. During these inspections it has become apparent that government agencies lack the resources and personnel to perform these inspections and sometimes re-inspections in a timely manner. For this reason, both the rendering and feed industries have voluntarily decided to pursue self-certification programs that include third party audits. FDA is in full support of the programs.

Upon certification by the auditor, a rendering plant will receive an APPI logo/seal that confirms date of compliance with the rule through a third party inspection audit. The success of the program is dependent on full participation and cooperation of rendering companies.

Feed Industry Follows Suit
AFIA has also implemented a self-certification program for feed mixing facilities. The certification focuses on feed mills, protein blenders, on-farm mixers, and other facilities desiring third party certification of feed ban compliance. AFIA’s program has two levels of certification: the first would involve certifying compliance with the existing FDA regulation and the second would certify the removal of ruminant-derived meat and bone meal.

The second level is in response to AFIA calling for the voluntary removal of ruminant-derived meat and bone meal from feed plants that make beef and dairy rations. (The current rule allows the product in plants but not in ruminant rations.) Excluded would be blood products, gelatin, inspected meat products which have been cooked and offered for human food and further meat processed for feed (plate waste and used cellulosic food casings), milk products (milk and milk proteins), and any other product whose only mammalian protein consists entirely of porcine or equine proteins. The purpose behind this measure is to prevent carryover and cross contamination.

All actions by APPI and AFIA are to demonstrate the industries’ good faith to both consumers and FDA with the hopes that these voluntary industry actions will make it unnecessary for FDA to change the existing regulation.

For more information on APPI’s program, call (660) 277-3469.