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“An Investment”

Tuffy’s Pet Food (feed) recently “made an investment in the pet food science program at the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University.” “An investment”…interesting way to phrase it.

Tuffy’s Pet Food (feed) recently “made an investment in the pet food science program at the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University.” “An investment”…interesting way to phrase it.

Tuffy’s Pet Food – located in Perham, MNopened a new $70 million dollar manufacturing plant in 2015 (a feed grade manufacturing facility). Tuffy’s manufactures Pure Vita, Natural Planet, Supreme, Tuffy’s Gold and Tuffy’s Premium pet food brands – dry pet food for cats and dogs.

On December 20, 2017 – the Perham news reported that Tuffy’s “has given a gift to create the Tuffy’s Pet Foods Leadership Fund for Faculty and Program Development in Pet Food Science. The gift amount, which was not provided, will go a long way in helping Kansas State University further its research work and educate future pet food science students, according to Dr. Greg Aldrich, pet food program coordinator at K-State.”

“The gift supports faculty in the pet food program in the Department of Grain Science and Industry in the College of Agriculture. The gift also supports continued investment in research and program development in the area of pet food and nutrition science.”

Is it bias for a university to accept money from a pet food (feed) company to support research in pet food nutrition science? Is it bias for a pet food (feed) company to support the salary of faculty?

Opinion:  it is bias unless Kansas State University (and every other university accepting money from pet food/feed) performs an equal amount of research on pet foods…real foods, not feeds. And research on legal pet foods/pet food ingredients.

The state of Kansas openly ignores federal and state law. Kansas law defines food as: “Articles used for food or drink for humans or other animals”. Kansas law defines an adulterated food as (in part): “it is the product of a diseased animal or an animal which has died otherwise than by slaughter”. But Kansas does not enforce this law with pet food/animal feed. The state of Kansas – specifically the Kansas Department of Agriculture – openly allows pet foods to be sold to unknowing consumers that contain diseased animal material and material sourced from non-slaughtered animals. Further, the state of Kansas denies pet food consumers their Freedom of Information rights by not publishing pet food ingredient definitions publicly on their website. (Kansas state law is very similar to federal law – which all 50 U.S. states ignore with pet food.)

Perhaps a better goal for Kansas State University would be work to get their own state within compliance of law. (Wonder how many pet feed companies would donate to that cause?)

 

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


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10 Comments

10 Comments

  1. T Allen

    December 29, 2017 at 1:17 pm

    Good ‘ol Kansas… Not surprised in the least that a state that denies evolution (and won’t allow it to be taught) would have a hard time comprehending real science. Thanks for the heads up so we can ignore any “research” that comes from there!

    • Jeri

      December 29, 2017 at 4:08 pm

      Oh, please. Evolution has nothing to do with it…and has yet to be proven. Beside the point entirely. What IS important is that this is a clear conflict of interest. Doesn’t surprise me, because K State has a large vet school and does a great deal of research in the areas of vet medicine, particularly Rabies. I do give them credit for keeping up with what has been done in scientific study re: titers and Rabies and for leading the way in updating the Compendium for all states based on a study done in 2015…and for immediately incorporating it into state law, which is more than those so-called “enlightened states” have done. They’re still in the dark ages!

      So….not surprised about the bias inherent in vet schools, but interestingly enough there is a study out of Helsinki which was done independently and showed major health concerns with dry food as opposed to raw. Guess we need to look to other countries for such research. Not likely to happen here anytime soon considering the tight relationship between vet institutions/organizations and the pet food industry.

    • Debbie

      December 30, 2017 at 1:57 pm

      100% correct! I feed a Raw Diet to my pack! Pups and all!

  2. Sharon M Abbott

    December 29, 2017 at 2:32 pm

    Why Toto is not in Kansas anymore!!

  3. Cannoliamo

    December 29, 2017 at 5:20 pm

    I thought the whole reason for the existence of the Morris Animal Foundation http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/ was to take donations from Pet Food Companies and equitably distribute research grants based on scientific peer review. Why is Tuffy’s not using the Morris Foundation?

  4. Tens Years a Follower

    December 29, 2017 at 7:45 pm

    The problem is, we know so much about Pet Feed, it’s hard to separate our thought process from what we see happening in this situation. We go right to the end game! Which is, the law against using adulterated PF ingredients is NOT being enforced. Which permits pet “feed” to be produced instead of pet “food.” Furthermore, there is no enforcement of truth in advertising and the provision for providing the true definition (explanation) of PF ingredients at the consumer level. All of that is one big, ugly, ball of wax!

    The question is, is there a need, in a University setting, to research PF and companion animal nutrition? Yes, there is. Would it be better not having any money donated to the program? What happens then, in that absence. Or is it possible that educating young students at least opens the door to discovering the difference between feed and food. Would it be best for Susan to be teaching the students? Without a doubt. So while their minds are still open, maybe the Truth About Pet Food, should be targeting them with key information, so they can LEARN to make the distinction. Before they are brainwashed.

    I think in using the word “bias” we’re assuming that the donation implies the University’s loyalty, in terms of promoting Tuffy’s product. Or at least defending Pet Feed. But the University is an “organization” (not so easy to control or for us to change their momentum). Students are a different matter. And while it can be expected many will graduate into their profession, accepting a preference towards feeding standard PF, what’s key here, is making them understand there is nothing wrong with ready-made food designed for a dog. As long as the quality of the ingredients used, are human edible.

    I don’t think “bias” is quite the right term to be making, as the point of this article. It’s more like a “conflict of interest” if the PF manufacturer, expects, or has pressured the University to provide something in return for their sponsorship. And we don’t know if, or what.

    But demanding that laws be enforced, and a product be accurately labeled, and definitions be provided to the consumer, is a PF Advocacy Campaign that everyone should stand behind. Unfortunately politics will always be part of every educational institution. Or job, is to communicate with those students!!

    • Cannoliamo

      December 29, 2017 at 10:03 pm

      I certainly respect your comprehensive opinion. I discovered this article … http://www.perhamfocus.com/business/announcements/4376907-tuffys-pet-foods-invests-kansas-state-pet-food-science-program which makes it sound like Tuffy’s is working at the forefront of Pet Food Science. Wouldn’t they also be working with other Universities (i.e. UC Davis, OSU, Cornell, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Colorado State, etc.) or is the program at Kansas more advanced than these other schools in the discipline of Food Science and nutrition? Having worked in politics, I am sometimes suspect that there are other factors involved in selecting a specific research program, but I’m certainly not making any suggestions or accusations here, simply curious.

      • Tens Years a Follower

        December 30, 2017 at 6:26 am

        I was fortunate to raise a Poodle to 17 yrs. who died of old age (not diagnosed with cancer). So I must’ve been doing something right with his diet. Plus he had good genes! Along the way, I used all the information TAPF provided during his lifetime. One of my dog’s initial Vets, asked about his diet. And couldn’t accept my early skepticism of Science Diet. The Vet explained his believe in the product, which was basically being dependant upon being wined and dined at their facility. He was impressed by the “science” they provided. And so, he believed in their product wholeheartedly.

        I’ve always maintained there’s a distinction between OTC Science and Hills Prescription. Because OTC Science preludes the owner’s initiative for feeding whole, human edible food to augment the diet. Because the owner has a misplaced belief that a product promoted by a Vet’s office, has unique and outstanding benefits! For the 2nd half of my older dog’s life, I went out of my way, feeding a rotational diet. Home cooked, raw, etc.. And fortunately, his constitution permitted a variety of diets.

        My younger dog is not so fortunate. I cook, feed raw, pull out all the stops. But he has a sensitive stomach (just part of his different breeding). And when that happens, loose stools, bad breath, some spitting up happens. I have to return to Hill’s Prescription Sensitive Stomach formula. I always think of it, like putting a kid back on a bland diet for a while. While boiled chicken and rice might do the trick, I want those vitamins and minerals included. Which Hill provides. I’m gluten-sensitive myself, and must return to the basics every now and then too.

        Skeptical consumers lump all of Hills products together. But I have to believe that their prescription food line really IS formulated to address particular issues. Otherwise they would be undermining the treatment programs Vets are prescribing. I’ve been assured by Hills, the protein is USDA approved and passed. I know that hydrolyzed is exceptionally digestible. And the bottom line is, I don’t want my dog to be uncomfortable with interminable indigestion. I wouldn’t want that for myself.

        I will continue to rotate with whole food again. I’m not as convinced about raw as I once used to be. Dr. Chavez wrote an interesting comment on TAPF about excessive protein in a dog’s system, simply being excreted. So rotation and balance, seems to be key, in my opinion. A dog’s lifestyle is also a factor. Working dogs, no doubt, need a more intense diet of protein. I think it’s difficult to “know” all the answers. And I think money going into research is important. Not all Vet students (like my original Vet) are going to be convinced to seek the truth. But being relatively better informed, than not, is also important. It is our job, to provide the complete story. I hope they subscribe to the Truth About Pet Food.

        Human edible ingredients, no matter the format, are key! That’s a simple enough message!

        • Jeri

          December 30, 2017 at 8:44 pm

          With all due respect to Dr. Chavez, I have seen nothing but positives in my old dogs with raw. We always rotated protein sources, but I would definitely never feed the feed grade dry… no matter how much “research” was done on it. It just isn’t high quality human grade…..Our own dog’s sensitive tummy was resolved by allowing her gut to heal, using a crappy Hill’s canned diet just long enough to allow that…about a month, then slowly weaning her onto a novel raw protein diet. Never looked back. I believe in whole food; hydrolyzed diets just trick the body into allowing the offending ingredients into the system, but they do not and cannot cure. There are better ways, thankfully.

    • Debbie

      December 30, 2017 at 2:00 pm

      ANY Man Made Kibble is NOT good for a Loved pet! One just NEEDS to read the ingredients, google it to see what they are giving their pets! Yuck, I feed Raw.

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