When Regulatory Authorities Get Even – Truth about Pet Food

January 21, 2020 Kar-Bay-Inc 0 Comments

The AAFCO ban of consumers takes an interesting turn: revenge.

It never made sense. In November 2019, AAFCO sent out emails to multiple pet owners and pet owner advocates banning them from participating in public meetings. AAFCO and/or their attorney refused to explain to pet owners and advocates the reasoning behind the ban. And then one of those banned – Kohl Harrington, producer of the documentary Pet Fooled – discovered (through Freedom of Information Act requests) exactly why AAFCO kicked pet owners and advocates to the curb. AAFCO…more specifically their Board of Directors…was getting even.

Background of the vindictive actions of AAFCO: In July of 2019, Answers Pet Food filed a lawsuit against FDA, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), and Colorado Department of Agriculture. This pet food company filed this lawsuit to achieve one simple thing…they are asking the court to require pet food regulators to enforce and abide by law.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) acquired emails prove that the Board of Directors of AAFCO didn’t like having a lawsuit filed against them…didn’t like being asked to abide by law. FOIA acquired emails prove that the Board of Directors of AAFCO decided to get even with Answers Pet Food and ANY pet owner advocate that defended Answers Pet Food request for law enforcement AND get even with any pet owner or advocate that sat next to them or spoke to them at previous AAFCO meetings.

Below is an image of a FOIA acquired email from AAFCO’s Executive Director Sue Hays to AAFCO’s attorney John Dillard and to 2019 AAFCO President Robert Geiger (Indiana Office of State Chemist), to 2020 AAFCO President Kristen Green (Kentucky Division of Regulatory Services), to AAFCO Board of Director Ali Kashani (Washington Department of Agriculture, and to AAFCO Board of Director Stan Cook (Missouri Department of Agriculture):

AAFCO banned “those consumers who have come with this group in the past“. AAFCO ban of consumers and advocates was strictly due to those consumers or advocates sitting near Answers Pet Food during a meeting.

Just curious: Who would you sit next to if you attended an AAFCO meeting? A vindictive regulatory authority, a feed grade pet food manufacturer that believes recycled waste is perfectly fine for pets to consume, or a human grade pet food manufacturer that believes pets deserve clean, nutritious food?

Many of us chose to sit next to that human grade manufacturer. And because we did…AAFCO (specifically the AAFCO Board of Directors) kicked us to the curb – prohibited us from having a voice in the pet food regulatory process. Vindictive much?

And then it gets worse. Pet owners from Washington state emailed their Attorney General’s office regarding the AAFCO ban of consumers. Washington responded to these pet owners (all received the same message), giving us evidence AAFCO told the Washington Attorney General the ONLY people banned from meetings were ones that are involved in the Answer’s lawsuit; “AAFCO has closed access to AAFCO advisors who are also intervenors in the lawsuit, until the case is resolved. We are not aware of any further closures.” It appears AAFCO lied to the Washington Attorney General. None of the pet owners or pet owner advocates banned are intervenors in the lawsuit. NONE.

And then there is the email evidence that AAFCO Board of Directors consulted with the trade associations that represent feed grade manufacturers for advice on how to handle consumers protest of closed meetings. Note the attitude towards some consumers from Pet Food Institute and National Grain and Feed Association that AAFCO plans to adopt:

To read more AAFCO emails provided by FOIA request, Click Here.

Is this the pet food regulatory system pet owners and our pets deserve? An out of control, vindictive regulatory system? A regulatory system that considers pet owners who demand food (not feed) for their pet and transparency in government as don’t-waste-your-time-on consumers?

The AAFCO Board of Directors has MORE than shown us their true colors. This must end. A vindictive association of regulatory authorities should NOT be allowed to write law. The current AAFCO system is severely flawed, broken.

If you haven’t signed the petition to demand FDA withdraw from AAFCO, please do. Click Here to sign.

Feel free to send the AAFCO Board of Directors an email regarding their vindictive actions against consumers.

Robert Geiger – 2019 AAFCO President. Email: geigerb@purdue.edu
Kristen Green – 2020 AAFCO President. Email: kristen.mary.green@uky.edu
Stan Cook – Past President. Email: stan.cook@mda.mo.gov
Ali Kashani. Email: akashani@agr.wa.gov
Sue Hays – AAFCO Excutive Director. Email: exec@AAFCO.org
Erin Bubb. Email: ebubb@pa.gov
Dave Phillips. Email: davephillips@nd.gov
George Ferguson. Email: george.ferguson@ncagr.gov
Austin Therrell. Email: atherrell@scda.sc.gov
Hollis Glen. Email: hollis.glenn@state.co.us

And don’t forget to send the FDA an email, telling them that a vindictive organization of regulatory authorities is not what our pets deserve. Tell FDA they must immediately withdraw from AAFCO. Email: AskCVM@fda.hhs.gov

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food

Become a member of our pet food consumer Association. Association for Truth in Pet Food is a a stakeholder organization representing the voice of pet food consumers at AAFCO and with FDA. Your membership helps representatives attend meetings and voice consumer concerns with regulatory authorities. Click Here to learn more.

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