Your Opportunity To Voice Concerns – Truth about Pet Food

On March 28, 2022 the FDA announced they are requesting an $8.4 billion 2023 budget from Congress. The agency asked for $43 million in additional funding for “animal food safety oversight.” Pet owners can read FDA’s justification document provided to Congress Here (Animal Food section begins on page 180).

At the very same time FDA was asking Congress for more money, a news story was released telling the public how the food side of FDA is failing the public in dangerous ways. The website Politico.com published a damning report on April 8, 2022 titled “The FDA’s Food Failure” – “A POLITICO investigation based on more than 50 interviews finds the FDA is failing to meet American consumers’ expectations on food safety and nutrition.”

The POLITICO story does not address pet food failures by FDA, but their story is getting attention from Congress at a very important time (budget consideration time). U.S. Senator Patty Murray has sent FDA a letter demanding answers and swift action from FDA.

With FDA’s food failures in the spotlight and drawing attention from Congress, now is our time to share with the Congressional Committees that will determine FDA’s 2023 budget how the agency has failed pet food consumers.

The FDA’s 2023 budget will be decided by the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. Each Committee will accept comments from the public. The House Appropriations Committee has not made public their comment requirements yet, but the Senate Appropriations Committee provided us with this document detailing how to submit a comment (example below).

We have submitted our comment to the Senate Committee. Click Here to read.

But…more important than our message to the Appropriations Committee, is your message. The members of these Committees need to hear your personal stories. They need to see a picture of your pet that was sickened or killed by a pet food. They need to hear the devastation that was caused by an industry the FDA allows to basically do as it pleases. They need to hear how you believe the FDA should regulate pet food.

Example issues with pet food to share with Congress:

If your pet became sick or was killed by a pet food, tell the Committee about your pet – what you and your pet went through. Tell them how he or she suffered because preventive safety measures were not implemented.

Tell the Committees how making a pet food purchase has become an anxiety filled process because the label is allowed to deceive and mislead you, giving you no information to make an informed decision.

Tell the Committees how you feel about FDA’s selective enforcement of law allowing diseased animals and animals that have died other than by slaughter to be processed into pet food with no warning or disclosure. Tell the Committees how you felt when you first learned that this tax dollar supported agency allows industry to profit from these illegal ingredients.

Tell the Committees how you feel about FDA’s blatant bias against raw pet food. Share with them how FDA has numerous warnings about the pathogenic bacteria risk of raw, while the agency ignores the same risk of kibble pet foods. Tell the Committees that over the past ten years – based on FDA Enforcement Reports – raw pet foods were responsible for only 1.2% of all pathogenic bacteria recalls and kibble pet foods were responsible for 98% of all pathogenic bacteria recalls.

Tell the Committees your pet food story and what you want as a consumer from FDA.

How to submit your comment.

The Senate Appropriations Committee requires:

• Your comment to the Committee must be emailed and it must be written in Microsoft Word or Word Perfect. Don’t type your message into an email as it appears the Committee will only accept a Word document. The Word document can be no more than 4 pages long.
• At the top of your Word document, type your name.
• Under that type:
  Prepared for the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. Testimony addressing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fiscal year 2023 budget.
• Your statement regarding FDA’s regulation of pet food follows the above.
• In the email you attach your comment to (not the Word document), include your name, email, physical address and telephone number.
• Comments will be accepted through close of business, Friday, June 10, 2022.

Your email with your comment attached will be sent to: agri@appro.senate.gov with the subject line “FY23 AGOWT.”

If it seems a little confusing, below is an example:

Email to: agri@appro.senate.gov

Subject line: FY23 AGOWT

Body of email:
Jane Doe
Jane@JaneDoe.com
1234 Jane Doe Street
Anywhere, FL 12345
(123) 456-7890

Attach to the email a Word or Word Perfect document no longer than 4 pages. At the top of the first page type:

Jane Doe
Prepared for the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. Testimony addressing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fiscal year 2023 budget.

Then explain your personal story/experience with pet food.

Yes, this will take you more than a couple of minutes to prepare. Change in pet food won’t come easy. However thanks to the POLITICO story, the attention of Congress is already on FDA’s poor regulation of food. We cannot let them forget about pet food, and our pets. Please take the time to send your message.

Also, the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee are from Wisconsin, North Dakota, Oregon, California, Montana, Vermont, Hawaii, New Mexico, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Kansas, Mississippi, and Indiana. If you live in one of these states, please email your Senator directly too.

When the House Appropriations Committee begins accepting comments, we will share that information with readers (so keep your comment handy, your message can be the same to both Committees).

My thanks in advance for everyone that takes the time to advocate for all pets.

Wishing you and your pet the best –

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
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.

What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients?  Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 5,000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Click Here to preview Petsumer Report. www.PetsumerReport.com

Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here

The 2022 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here to learn more.