FDA Still Considering Feed Ban
News Date September 17, 2007
FDA officials proposed new measures in October 2005 to tighten its controls on the 1997 ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban by removing "high-risk cattle materials" from all animal feed. The rule was proposed to reduce the threat that bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) might infect U.S. cattle. The USA has had three cases of BSE; the major impact of these findings has been a ban on U.S. beef exports to many countries since Dec. 2003, especially in those lucrative markets of Japan and South Korea. It's now been almost 2 years since FDA announced the proposed tighter feed ban, but Farm.com reports that FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine has indicated the agency continues to work on the regulation.
Japan has raised the issue of the status of the rule in negotiations about raising the age limit on beef processed for Japan. U.S. negotiators continue demanding that Japan and other trading partners accept the approved "negligible risk" designation that the U.S. received on its controls of BSE from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). If--or when--Japan accepts that status it would require Japan to get rid of its requirement that all U.S. beef shipped to the country come from cattle 21 months of age or younger. Still, Japanese officials want to know why the U.S. hasn't implemented the FDA plan to tighten the ruminant feed ban.
On the flip side, however, some industry representatives, concerned about the added expenses to dispose of some carcasses and the specified risk materials, are concerned with the proposal, as published, and the prospects that it may be implemented without due consideration of the cost compared to perceived benefits. This issue remains complicated by the low number of cases identified in the U. S.
NASDA policy supports the development of a feed ban based on the best available science, while recognizing there is no such thing as a no-cost policy. If the U.S. needs to take additional actions to assure eradication in a reasonable time frame, NASDA recognizes that affected sectors of the industry (e.g., renderers, some ranchers, perhaps others) may need assistance to assure compliance is reached as reasonably as possible. NASDA embraces the need for research as a method to advance current knowledge and understanding and seeks a policy which is based on risk analysis, is able to assure the consuming public that the beef supply is safe because of the actions taken by U. S. pubic agencies and is fair to U.S. beef producers. (Contact: Bob Ehart)