Attention pet food manufacturers: AAFCO has dragged you into their war against pet owners. Who will you side with?
From grocery store kibble to the most premium human grade pet food, AAFCO has just dragged you into a war. You didn’t fire the first shot – AAFCO did. But, whether you want to be involved or not – every single Complete and Balanced pet food manufacturer has been dragged down into AAFCO’s muddy battle with pet owners because AAFCO’s name is on your label. Every Complete and Balanced pet food is required by regulations to include the AAFCO name on their label. As example:
Now, thanks to AAFCO’s recent actions, all of those pet food manufacturers have a serious consumer problem they weren’t counting on.
A negative brand recognition problem…a pet owner unfriendly AAFCO brand recognition problem.
Guilt by AAFCO association.
All pet food manufacturers strive to build pet owner trust. Billions of dollars are spent each year to earn customers trust of their brands. In one (stupid) single action by AAFCO, billions of dollars spent by every pet food company building trust just flew out the window. And that trust will continue to fly out the window until an equitable resolve to AAFCO’s war against pet owners is found.
AAFCO – the Association of American Feed Control Officials – is a private organization that is provided the ability to write pet food laws. Law writing is performed at two meetings each year. Pet owners and pet owner advocates have been attending AAFCO meetings for years, wanting to have a voice in the law writing process.
A little over a month ago, AAFCO made a remarkable decision; a remarkably bias decision. AAFCO decided to ban pet owners and pet owner advocates from attending any future meeting – banned them from having a voice in the pet food law writing process. How very un-American of AAFCO.
In opposition to the Constitutional rights of every U.S. citizen, AAFCO told every pet owner and pet owner advocate that had previously participated in the pet food law writing process to ‘hit the road – we don’t want your kind here’. AAFCO banned them from participating/expressing their opinions in the pet food law writing process.
This AAFCO decision has now put pet food manufacturers in a VERY compromising situation. If any pet food manufacturer attends future AAFCO meetings, will consumers consider them as traitors, anti-consumer? Guilty by AAFCO association?
In the short time frame since the AAFCO ban – here are just a few pet owner comments…
“I don’t trust a food that states AAFCO approved because I don’t trust the AAFCO any more.”
“It’s a perfect storm when these manufactured diets, lacking any real nutritional value, pass muster with AAFCO (a sellout for big agriculture) to shake the hand of greedy corporate shareholders. All of it adding up to bigger profits.”
“I don’t even know if it will be possible to run an honest pet food company in the years to come if the AAFCO continues.”
“AAFCO is a group of pet food manufacturers. WAKE UP, people…they don’t give a HOOT about YOUR pets…just THEIR bottom DOLLARS…stop supporting these manufacturers.”
“The pet food industry is seriously flawed!”
“No one in that industry cares about what the consumer wants or the pet needs.”
Here is a list of pet food manufacturers that attended the last AAFCO meeting (when meetings were open to the public): Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Nestle Purina, Mars Petcare, Diamond Pet Foods, Tyson, Cargill, Bill-Jac Pet Foods, Blue Buffalo Pet Foods, Central Garden & Pet, Perdue, WellPet, Petco, Hampshire Pet Products, Spectrum Brands, Real Pet Food Company, Nature’s Variety, Champion Pet Foods, Chewy, Inc., Halo Pet Foods, Redbarn Pet Products, Royal Canin Pet Foods, Freshpet, Merrick Petcare, Hartz Mountain Corporation, Petsmart, My Perfect Pet, Stella & Chewy’s, United Pet Group, Elanco Animal Health, J.M. Smucker Company, Answers Pet Food, Sergeants Pet Care Products, C.J. Foods, Simmons Pet Food, The Honest Kitchen, Perfection Pet Foods.
Serious questions:
Will these pet foods risk guilt by AAFCO association by attending future AAFCO meetings?
It is their right to attend so-called public meetings to defend the needs of their brand and be informed. But…will pet owners consider them anti-consumer/guilty by association for participating in future meetings that consumers and consumer advocates are banned from?
Will the AAFCO name on pet food labels go further down the tubes damaging the reputation of every single Complete and Balanced brand?
Only time will tell where this will lead. However, based on recent pet owner input, it appears to be a significant risk for any manufacturer to participate in AAFCO meetings, associate themselves with the anti-consumer AAFCO.
Question for all pet food manufacturers that attend AAFCO:
Who will you stand beside? Will you stand beside your customers that most certainly deserve a voice in the pet food regulatory system – or will you stand beside AAFCO?
I understand it is a difficult question to ask manufacturers. AAFCO has dragged you down into mud with them, putting you right into the middle of a VERY difficult situation that you had nothing to do with. Further complicating your decision, AAFCO members are regulatory – the people that decide your fate in inspections. Siding with pet owners could put manufacturers at risk from unscrupulous regulatory authority members of AAFCO. Yes, it is more than difficult for manufacturers to pick a side in this battle. But, the fact remains: AAFCO put you here and and you must pick a side. Pet owners deserve to know who you will stand with, AAFCO or your customers?
For pet owners –
Send an email to your manufacturer and ask them if they will attend the next AAFCO meeting or any future AAFCO meeting. You deserve to know if your pet food is made by a company that supports pet owners or partners with anti-consumer AAFCO.
Personal statement: I personally ask every pet food manufacturer to tell AAFCO they will not participate in future meetings until they are truly public meetings – allowing EVERY voice to be heard. If you have registered for the upcoming January meeting, ask AAFCO for a refund based on their anti-consumer behavior. You have a choice, support your customers or support the anti-consumer behavior of AAFCO. Choose wisely…your brand could be risking everything with the wrong decision.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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Pam Roussell
December 18, 2019 at 3:51 pm
This is truly an interesting perspective that I hadn’t thought of! Well said, Susan! One question: is it required by LAW to have AFFCO’s endorsement on a brand/package in order to be sold to the public? Or can manufacturers pay a third party to verify their foods are complete and balanced?
Susan Thixton
December 18, 2019 at 4:01 pm
It is pet food regulations that AAFCO is the ONLY nutritional profile that is complete and balanced and regulation that AAFCO feeding trials are the ONLY method to substantiate nutritional adequacy. No third party is allowed.
Jeff White
December 18, 2019 at 4:27 pm
The swamp runs deep. The AAFCO / USDA arrangement is just another sign that we cannot trust any government department or agency and that their real goal is to protect the businesses that they are in bed with. Although I was only briefly in the industry, only a non-thinking person would look at the current situation and believe that anyone at AAFCO / USDA is looking out for their pets best interests.
The answer is quite simple…..make your own pet’s food and become educated in your pets nutrition. While there are some reputable manufacturers out there why chance it?
Susan Thixton
December 18, 2019 at 4:55 pm
Pet owners and manufacturers can sign a petition here: http://chng.it/PwwzmPzbTH to end FDA’s relationship with AAFCO.
Arkor
December 18, 2019 at 5:22 pm
I have pulled the plug. So to speak. No more commercial food, no more commercial treats. None. Zero. Zip. Zilch.
I gave up some convenience. I gained $$$$ and my self-respect for no longer being a gullible doormat. I have lost all trust into an entirely corrupt system. For me, it is too late. I don’t see any circumstance that would bring me back to commercial products. Fool me once………………..
Nan MacArthur
December 18, 2019 at 5:47 pm
I sent an email to two pet food manufacturers that make the food I feed my cat and I look forward to their responses.
Susan Thixton
December 18, 2019 at 6:13 pm
Please let us know what they say.
Terry
December 18, 2019 at 6:18 pm
I’ve no doubt the pet food manufacturers won’t care one whit what we the consumers feel about AAFCO. These industries, including the FDA, are all in bed together and have vested financial interests. It’s like the fox guarding the henhouse.
I do not trust these groups whatsoever.
Sherri
December 18, 2019 at 9:33 pm
For a long time now I have been uncomfortable with any pet food that states their food “meets AAFCO standards”. That means absolutely nothing to me and when I see that I think to myself “Good heavens I hope your doing far better then meeting AAFCO standards!!” A cardboard box with a vitamin pill can likely meet AAFCO standards!! Make your own food! Anyone can learn.
readerguest9
December 18, 2019 at 9:53 pm
Why buy commercial pet food anymore??? Have NOT bought commercial pet food for several years now. None. Healthier pets and better tasting food for pets too. No commercial treats. Use BANANA slices, APPLE slices, freeze dry raw food RAW NIBS, etc for treats.
Once a pet owner slowly transitions to no longer buying the junk food pet food kibble, soft or canned, you will find it is easy, there are so many better real food for pets.
Add a organic pasture raw EGG to easily add raw for both cats and dogs. The organic egg is the best most complete protein with all nutrients and amino acids to grow a chicken.
Add a tsp to tbsp of plain KEFIR for probiotics.
Sprinkle CHIA seeds on pet food to add fiber and for firm poop
Add a KELP capsule for iodine
Add a BLACK WALNUT capsule 5 days a week, to prevent heartworms.
Sprinkle CUMIN spice on both dog and cat food, to make blood taste bad to bugs, fleas, etc
Check with your local livestock feed store if they have a freezer with NO HPP ground raw meat, bone, organs, veggies, fruit, supplements all mixed together to feed dogs. and they usually have one for feeding the cats too.
Nan MacArthur
December 20, 2019 at 12:29 pm
I wrote to Nature’s Variety…
“Are representatives of Nature’s Variety going to attend the next AAFCO meeting or any future AAFCO meetings? I want to know if Nature’s Variety supports pet owners or partners with anti-consumer AAFCO. This group has no right banning pet food advocates and others from their meetings. My cats eat your food now, but I cannot continue feeding it to them if your company does not stand up for and support advocates and others to attend AAFCO meetings, and continues to display their logo on your food.
Nan MacArthur
Their response:
Hi Nan,
Thank you for writing in to us. We do attend AAFCO meetings to keep abreast of pet food regulation.
We will pass your comments along to our Senior Management. At Nature’s Variety, we’re constantly evaluating our products and striving to make improvements. We appreciate your feedback.
Best Wishes,
ANGELA | Consumer Engagement Specialist
Cheryl
January 7, 2020 at 12:27 pm
In response to Pam Roussell’s question “ is it required by LAW to have AFFCO’s endorsement on a brand/package in order to be sold to the public? Or can manufacturers pay a third party to verify their foods are complete and balanced?” & response by by Susan Thixton. It is NOT required by law or the FDA that a manufacturer have or even associate with AAFCO. The AAFCO establishes minimum pet food requirements & manufacturer’s must meet these minimums to put the AAFCO label on their products. The FDA DOES NOT require any pet food to meet AAFCO standards as such unless they put that on their label. The FDA & AFFCO have a symbiotic relationship. The AAFCO is similar to The Good Housekeeping Seal used by consumer products manufacturers in that it provides minimum requirements that a manufacturer may choose to adhere to or not. The key here is that a manufacturer must adhere to the minimum AAFCO standards to use that statement. As for 3rd party certification; no one else can state or “certify” that a product meets AFFCO standards. But, a 3rd party or the manufacturer can state, for example their product contains certain foods, nutrients, vitamins etc. that are required for growth, adult maintenance, etc. but based on what? Their research, someone else’s research, Dr. So&so’s opinion, Joe’s opinion etc.? The AAFCO is an nonprofit organization that has independently established minimum requirements for pet food. AAFCO itself has no regulatory authority whatsoever, that is the responsibility of the FDA who does regulate pet food. For a complete explanation of what the AFFCO does go to their websites; aafco.org.
Many manufacturers include nutrients & levels of nutrients that are not Essential in the AAFCO Food Nutritional Profile but the AAFCO statement on the label insures the food meets minimum nutritional requirements. So before you blowoff AAFCO requirements you might want to understand what they really do. By the way, according to the AFFCO’s website, consumers are still welcome to participate In their meetings, again, see their website; AFFCO.ORG
Susan Thixton
January 7, 2020 at 12:59 pm
Actually Cheryl – your statement is not true. State laws require each pet food manufacturer to utilize ONLY AAFCO ingredient names and definitions. Further – most states require pet food manufacturers to submit each product label each year for review. That review requires pet food labels to meet AAFCO established labeling laws including a Complete and Balanced claim that meets AAFCO Nutrient Profiles. And by the way, most states enforce AAFCO labeling laws illegally – most states have not adopted them into law (yet again, they enforce them). And…ingredient terms and definitions in most states ARE adopted into law – but states do not post them as part of public record specifically allowing AAFCO to sell those legal documents. I do know what AAFCO really does. I suspect you don’t. Perhaps you are part of that crisis communication team AAFCO hired?