The latest numbers are out on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) enforcement activities regarding compliance with the ruminant feed regulation to prevent bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the United States. A look at the numbers shows renderers continue to ensure the nation’s feed ingredients are safe.
As of March 11, 2002, there were 239 rendering firms whose initial inspection was reported to FDA’s Center for Veterinarian Medicine (CVM), of which 72 percent (171) handled prohibited materials. Of those 171 renderers, their most recent inspection (could have been an initial or a follow-up inspection) showed 98 percent had products that were labeled as required, up three percent from the last CVM report in October. Ninety-eight percent also had adequate systems to prevent commingling, up one percent from the last report, and 99 percent followed record keeping regulations. Only four firms were found to be out of compliance, down from 13 in October.
FDA-licensed feed mills also showed an improvement in compliance with the feed regulation. Of the 1,203 firms inspected, 31 percent (370) handled materials prohibited for use in ruminant feed. Of those, 97 percent were in compliance, up from 90 percent in October. Of non-licensed feed mills, 1,224 firms handling prohibited materials were inspected with a 93 percent compliance rate, up from 84 percent. Other firms inspected included ruminant feeders, on-farm mixers, protein blenders, and distributors, of which 96 percent inspected were complying with feed regulations, up from 87 percent previously.
When firms were found to be out of compliance, FDA listed them for re-inspection. As of March 11, 99 percent of the re-inspected firms were found to be in compliance. Companies reported they corrected the problems through a variety of ways, including further training of employees about the rule, developing systems to prevent commingling, re-labeling their products properly, and adhering to record keeping regulations. Other firms have achieved compliance by eliminating prohibited materials from their operations.
After March 11, FDA discontinued the database that was used to compile these numbers and started a new database on April 15, which future updates on BSE enforcement will be drawn from.
June 2002 Render