Innovative FEED Act proposes regulatory pathway for animal feed additives in the US

USA- A groundbreaking legislative effort, the Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development (Innovative FEED) Act, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on December 7, marking a crucial step toward establishing a regulatory pathway for a new category of animal feed additives. 

This bill had already been introduced in the U.S. Senate in June and it aims to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, allowing for the introduction of a novel category of animal food substances specifically designed to act within animals’ gut microbiomes or in the feed they consume. 

This new category promises a wide range of benefits, and the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) emphasized that the act would empower the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to adopt regulations to keep pace with scientific innovations in feed.

According to the AFIA, the FDA’s Center of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) currently regulates animal foods with drug claims, including those related to environmental benefits, production claims, and effects on the animal’s microbiome. 

Critics argue that these regulations are overly burdensome, inconsistent, and arbitrary, placing U.S. companies at a competitive disadvantage. Moreover, they claim that these regulations disadvantage U.S. dairy and beef producers by limiting their access to methane-reducing feed additives that have been safely approved and adopted in dozens of other countries.

The AFIA emphasized the bipartisan and bicameral support for the Innovative FEED Act, with its introduction in both the Senate and the House. 

Constance Cullman, President and CEO of AFIA, urged Congress to act swiftly on the bill, stating that the legislation could drive nutritional innovation, improve animal health and production, and address public health challenges.

“Now, we urge Congress to act quickly on the bill. The legislation will be the spark needed to drive nutritional innovation that improves animal health and production while addressing public health challenges. We need this modernized regulatory oversight instead of the current policy of overregulation. Any delay in enacting this legislation continues to put U.S. agriculture at a disadvantage compared to our global counterparts whose regulatory systems have evolved with the times, ” Cullman added.

The AFIA has additionally called on the FDA to update its outdated 1998 Policy and Procedures Manual Guide 1240.3605, which has posed obstacles for animal food manufacturers in clearly indicating non-nutritive benefits on labels without navigating the FDA’s arduous drug approval process.

Various feed additives have demonstrated the ability to reduce enteric methane emissions, including seaweed, fatty acids, 3-Nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), oregano, tannins, nitrate, biochar, cinnamon, garlic, and saponins. 

The Innovative FEED Act is poised to streamline the review process for these additives, ensuring they are evaluated for safety and effectiveness as food additives, not drugs. This expedited process will enable U.S. farmers and ranchers to access and utilize these innovative feed solutions more quickly.

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