Vol. 12, No. 9, September 2016 |
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FDA Issues Draft Guidances under the FDA
Food Safety Modernization Act for Animal Foods
and the Classification
of Activities for Farms and Facilities
As the implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) continues, the agency last month issued two draft guidances to assist industry with the implementation of the Preventive Controls for Animal Food rule and another draft guidance to assist businesses in determining whether the activities they perform are within the “farm” definition.
Two of the draft guidances are meant to assist domestic and foreign companies in complying with Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) requirements and with human food by-product requirements under the FSMA Preventive Controls for Animal Food Rule.
Draft Guidance for Industry #235 - Current Good Manufacturing Practice Requirements for Food for Animals is intended to help facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold animal food for consumption in the United States comply with CGMP requirements in areas such as personnel, plant and grounds, sanitation, water supply and plumbing, equipment and utensils, plant operations, and holding and distribution.
The guidance also includes information on training and related record-keeping. The CGMPs required under the Preventive Controls for Animal Food rule are flexible to address the diversity of facilities and animal foods, the wide range of animal food activities, and the potential safety risks posed by some animal foods.
Draft Guidance for Industry #239 - Human Food By-Products for Use as Animal Food will assist facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold human food and then subsequently provide the human food by-products for use as animal food in determining what requirements in the Preventive Controls for Animal Food rule apply to their human food by-product. Common examples of human food by-products used for animal food include wheat middlings, grain products from grain milling, and vegetable pulp.
FDA is planning on hosting a webinar later in September to discuss these draft guidances in more detail.
Draft Guidance for Industry for Classification of Activities as Harvesting, Packing, Holding, or Manufacturing/Processing for Farms and Facilities is aimed at helping food businesses determine which of the FSMA rules apply to their operations. In general, businesses that only perform activities within the “farm” definition are not subject to the FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food or Animal Food rules. Instead, when their activities involve covered produce, farms may be subject to the FSMA Produce Safety rule.
Facilities conducting activities that are outside the farm definition generally need to register with the FDA as food facilities (unless other exemption(s) apply, such as the exemptions for retail food establishments and restaurants) and may be subject to the FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food or Animal Food rule. Farms, including those subject to the Produce Safety rule, are not required to register with the FDA as food facilities. The draft guidance includes several examples of hypothetical operations.
All three draft guidances will be available for public comment starting August 25, 2016. The FDA will consider all comments received during the periods designated in the Federal Register notices before completing final versions of the guidances.
Louisiana State Animal Response Team
Responds to Historic Flooding
Last month, devastating floods affected various parts of Southern Louisiana and Mississippi in what the Red Cross said was the worst US disaster since Hurricane Sandy.
The U.S. Coast Guard, National Guard, local emergency responders and even neighbors have helped rescue more than 30,000 residents and 1,400 pets. A major partner in the rescue operations was the Louisiana State Animal Response Team (LSART).
LSART developed from the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association (LVMA) Disaster Committee. After the response to Hurricane Katrina, LSART became a division of the Dr. Walter J. Ernst Veterinary Memorial Foundation (WJE). WJE is the nonprofit foundation associated with the LVMA.
LSART is a team of groups and individuals with an interest in animal well-being related to emergencies or disasters. Veterinarians, animal control officers, humane organizations, and citizen volunteers make up LSART's membership list.
During a disaster like this, LSART works similarly to Florida’s system. According to the organization, “Animal owners who need help with assistance during disasters are asked to contact their local Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Parish Animal Control Office, or Sheriff’s Office.
All emergencies and disasters begin at the local level. Local agencies can request help directly from LSART, or from the state, who in turn may request LSART to assist. LSART works within the state/federal system to have an organized and efficient response.”
LSART makes resources available to parishes for emergency planning, response and recovery. LSART also assists local jurisdictions in planning and preparing for all types of emergencies involving all animals.
LSART provides training in NIMS, ICS, evacuation protocols, shelter management and other aspects of emergency planning.
They also provide community public information and messaging for emergency preparedness.
LSART responds to emergencies by assisting with evacuation, sheltering, and search and rescue.
Additional information may be found online at http://www.lsart.org
Florida Forest Service Welcomes
Home Wildland Firefighters,
Sends 20 More to Battle Washington Wildfire
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam announced last month that the Florida Forest Service is sending another crew of 20 wildland firefighters to battle the blazes out West as they welcome home 40 wildland firefighters from a recent western deployment. The latest crew travelled to Washington to fight the 4,200-acre Hart Fire.
“Thanks to sustained low fire activity in Florida, we are able to share our skilled firefighters with our western partners while continuing to provide for the safety of Florida's residents and visitors,” stated Commissioner Putnam.
In addition to the latest crew deployment, there are currently 74 Florida Forest Service employees deployed to fill various wildland firefighting and management positions throughout: California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Deployed wildland firefighters can fill a variety of roles including front-line firefighting, aviation, safety regulation, logging, heavy equipment management and more.
“The Florida Forest Service is part of a tight-knit national wildland firefighting community,” said Jim Karels, Director of the Florida Forest Service. “Many out-of-state wildland firefighters have aided Florida during the times when we needed it most and we are proud and honored to be able to return the favor.”
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres.
Learn more at FloridaForestService.com.