July 12, 2004

US FDA Seeks To Propose Removing Bovine SRMs From All Feed

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, together with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is seeking to create a new rule that would eventually ban all bovine materials deemed to be a risk for spreading bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease, from all animal feed, the agencies said in a document made public Friday.
 
The FDA said in an advance notice of proposed rule-making that it has "tentatively concluded that it should propose removing SRMs (specified risk materials) from all animal feed to adequately control the risks associated with cross contamination throughout feed manufacture and distribution ... on the farm. FDA is currently working on a proposal to accomplish this goal."
 
The FDA then asked for public comment to assist it in creating the new feed rule.
 
The FDA has been promising new rules to strengthen its BSE feed ban for months, but one industry group said it may take the FDA the rest of the summer to finish those rules now that further public comment has been requested.
 
Stephen Sundlof, director of FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, told reporters Friday that the FDA's plans to ban bovine specified risk materials from all animal feed are the core of the proposal he expects to be released in the "near future."
 
FDA's intention is to ban cattle parts such as brains, skulls and spinal cords from cattle 30 months and older and intestinal tracts and tonsils from cattle of all ages from feed. The FDA also seeks to prohibit the use of cattle parts from downer animals that are too sick or injured to walk as feed ingredients.
 
"We have foreshadowed our intentions to issue a proposed rule in the near future, " Sundlof said.
 
The FDA will take public feedback on the advanced notice released Friday for 30 days before it puts together a concrete proposal, but it may not be until next year before any new rule actually is implemented, Sundlof said.
 
The U.S. implemented a ban on the use of ruminant material in cattle feed in 1997 to prevent the spread of BSE in the U.S. But FDA and USDA officials said Friday that feed ban needs to be strengthened.
 
The U.S. announced the discovery of a case of BSE in December, several months after Canada said it found a case. Both BSE-positive animals were born in Canada, according to USDA officials.
 
BSE is believed to be spread between cattle through feed if it contains infected ruminant material, and the FDA oversees the safety of animal feed in the U.S.
 
In January, the FDA announced it was considering new restrictions to the feed ban such as prohibiting the feeding of chicken litter, blood and restaurant plate waste to cattle.
 
Sundlof said those options are still being considered and are included in the advanced notice released Friday, but he stressed that a ban on SRMs in all feed may make it unnecessary to implement them.