The American Feed Industry Association said it was pleased to learn the Pork Safety Committee of the National Pork Board recently endorsed AFIA’s Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Program, an exclusive third-party-certified feed safety program.
The 29-member Pork Safety Committee provided its endorsement after examining the details of the Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Program, administered by AFIA. The program is designed to ensure stringent standards of safety and quality are met in the production of livestock feed and pet food.
“The Pork Safety Committee’s endorsement means a lot to those who work to make pork a safe, nutritious and healthy food,” said Joel G. Newman, AFIA president and CEO. “That’s why I am extremely pleased the committee decided to study and subsequently endorse the Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Program, which is designed to assist the employees of feed mills and related facilities achieve the highest levels of feed safety. Hogs and other livestock that consume safe feed are more likely to produce safe food for human consumption.”
Barb Determan, a producer from Iowa and member of the Pork Checkoff’s Pork Safety Committee, stated that the committee supports third-party-certification programs that address the safety of feed manufacturing such as the Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Program. Determan added that the Pork Checkoff will encourage the use of Safe Feed/Safe Food materials by producers.
Becoming Safe Feed/Safe Food-certified means the facility demonstrates and ensures continuous improvements in delivering safe, wholesome feed. This one-of-a-kind voluntary program has resulted in the certification of nearly 330 feed- and ingredient-related facilities in the U.S. and Canada. Certified facilities go above and beyond federal requirements to ensure the highest standards in manufacturing and processing are followed each and every day.
AFIA’s Safe Feed/Safe Certification Program is open to livestock feed and pet food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, integrated producers, meat processors, feed purchasers, livestock producers, renderers and others who want to validate a commitment to food safety through pro-active leadership. It signifies that qualifying companies have embraced the feed industry’s role in creating feed-based safety programs; they are doing their part to reduce food safety risks; they are participating in an approved risk-management program; and they are aggressively practicing risk-reduction.
The National Pork Board, based in Des Moines, Iowa, administers funds provided by the Pork Checkoff. More information about the organization may be found at www.pork.org.
Now celebrating its Centennial year, AFIA, based in Arlington, Va., is the largest national organization devoted exclusively to representing the business, legislative and regulatory interests of the animal feed industry and its suppliers.
AFIA also is the recognized leader on international industry developments. Members include more than 500 domestic and international companies and state, regional and national associations. Firms are livestock feed and pet food manufacturers, integrators, pharmaceutical companies, ingredient suppliers, equipment manufacturers and companies that supply other products, services and supplies to feed manufacturers.
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