Provided by Freedom of Information, we find public funding of AAFCO, raw pet food bias, mocking consumers and attempts to hide conflict of interest.
Thanks to Kohl Harrington (producer of the documentary Pet Fooled), we are provided with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents evidencing some concerning truths about those that regulate pet food. Below are screen shot images of documents or emails evidencing just some of the concerns.
Evidence that FDA provides AAFCO with public funding (YOUR tax dollars):
The above email is from Ali Kashini – AAFCO’s Secretary-Treasurer, to FDA. Below is the document Mr. Kashini sent to FDA, further evidencing FDA’s financial support provided to AAFCO (public funds support of AAFCO):
Below is an email from AAFCO Board of Directors member Austin Therrell (South Carolina Department of Agriculture representative) mocking the Dogs Naturally pet food educational program to other Board of Director members; “very affordable compared to a PhD in Nutrition“:
And below is a response to the above email from fellow AAFCO Board member George Ferguson (North Carolina Department of Agriculture representative); “I’m assuming we all just got some kind of computer virus just for viewing that page. Raw phishing?“
The above email from Mr. Ferguson is MORE than concerning; a regulatory authority having a biased (and nasty) attitude towards raw pet food.
The following email – marked as “Confidential” is from AAFCO 2019 President Robert Geiger (Office of Indiana State Chemist representative) to the AAFCO Board of Directors discussing a conflict of interest issue. Note in the second to last paragraph Mr. Geiger states “please keep all discussions confidential“.
The website AAFCO is confidentially discussing – www.feedpctraining.com – is an consulting business catering to the pet food and animal feed industry ran by a former AAFCO president Richard TenEyck (Oregon Department of Agriculture) and current Chair of AAFCO’s Ingredient Definitions Committee. The AAFCO Board of Directors appear to be intentionally hiding the significant conflict of interest issues for a Committee Chair to be providing services to industry.
Pet owners sent AAFCO many emails expressing their concerns of AAFCO banning consumers and advocates from participating in meetings. Those emails were shared back and forth between the AAFCO Board of Directors. Below is an email from 2019 AAFCO President Robert Geiger (Office of Indiana State Chemist representative) mocking one of those consumer emails; “This is my favorite so far.”
Below is another AAFCO email from AAFCO Board member George Ferguson (North Carolina Department of Agriculture representative) complaining about receiving consumer emails. Mr. Ferguson (last paragraph) states “I receive more than 50 spam emails a day that are trying to steal my identity, my accounts and my time, and I never respond to them. Why should I respond to these?“
Also in the above email from Mr. Ferguson, he states that “85% of the emails (from consumers) are based on severely misinformed ideas and concepts.” Through more FOIA acquired emails we learn that AAFCO itself has intentionally misinformed their members. The following 2 images of email excerpts are/were AAFCO’ plan of attack against consumers and advocates.
Note under “Project Description” AAFCO’s ban includes (3rd bullet point) “All individuals participating in a video recorded at the 2019 AAFCO Meeting…and in which these individuals publicly announced as individuals that their desired outcome is the closing of AAFCO as an organization.” This statement from AAFCO is absolutely FALSE. As evidence, Click Here to view the Facebook video from Dr. Judy Morgan’s video AAFCO is referencing. Not one person in the video made a statement regarding the closing of AAFCO – nothing even close.
In the following excerpt of AAFCO’s Board of Directors “Project“, please notice the last sentence declaring “The AAFCO meetings are not public meetings and AAFCO is not a public agency.” It’s interesting that AAFCO makes this statement/has this attitude; a ‘private’ agency writing pet food/animal feed law in ‘private meetings’ that also happen to receive public funding.
To read the full AAFCO Board of Directors Project Management Plan, Click Here.
The following email evidences that AAFCO got consumers names from Dr. Judy Morgan’s Facebook page – and selected those to ban from meetings:
And how much money does AAFCO have? Also provided in FOIA request is this financial statement effective 9/30/2019:
We also have email evidence that AAFCO Board of Directors or their attorney is making false statements to Attorney General offices. As example Washington Attorney General’s office told multiple pet owners in response to their complaints about closed meetings: “It is our understanding that AAFCO is currently a party to litigation with a raw pet food manufacturer, in the case of Lystn, LLC v. Food and Drug Administration et al., No. 19-cv-01943-PAB-KLM (D. Colo), and that 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.” Thus it appears that AAFCO or their attorney told Washington that only intervenors in the lawsuit were banned – which is completely false. None of the pet owners or pet owner advocates AAFCO closed meeting participation to are intervenors in the lawsuit or affiliated with the lawsuit.
These emails and many others evidence pet owners have a VERY broken system of pet food regulation. An organization that writes law should NOT be allowed to do so in private, regulatory authorities should not mock pet owners or mock a particular style of pet food (products they regulate). Further, public funding should not be provided to an organization that has openly misled others as to the cause of their vengeful actions and public funding should not be provided to an organization that attempts to hide conflict of interests. Our pet food regulatory system needs to change – now.
Should you choose, you can email FDA at AskCVM@fda.hhs.gov. FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is the ultimate pet food regulatory authority, they can and should take action to correct the many errors happening at the hands of AAFCO. Our pets deserve better than this.
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.
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
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The 2020 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here to learn more.
chuck linker
January 13, 2020 at 3:22 pm
IT APPEARS THAT MEMBERS OF AFFCO DO NOT HAVE PETS.
THIS MAKES WASHINGTON, D.C. MATTERS APPEAR LIKE CHILD’S PLAY.
WHAT HAS THE FDA DONE RECENTLY TO INVESTIGATE THE MANY RECALLS?
Cannoliamo
January 13, 2020 at 3:47 pm
Susan, …. Just curious. I noted that the requested FDA funds carryover ($7,456,19) pays exactly 100% of the FASS support salary budget. So AAFCO isn’t paying a single penny of the administrative labor cost for providing the manuals to their members, but AAFCO says they will then keep the money in their operating budget? Am I reading this correctly? Why is this voluntary AAFCO FASS program being supported with FDA tax revenues? I don’t get it.
Susan Thixton
January 13, 2020 at 3:51 pm
Good questions – which I don’t have an answer to. FDA or AAFCO will need to explain – and it’s doubtful either will.
T Allen
January 13, 2020 at 4:03 pm
My guess would be that emailing the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine is probably a waste of time because it’s highly unlikely that they are not fully aware of the situation and as such are an active participant. I say that because the FDA is suspect in other areas as well that I am aware of such as involvement with the CDC. The only way this is going to change is for someone to get a Senator/ Rep on board to start an investigation. It’s going to be hard to do for the next year but now is the time to start contacting anyone who could possibly get elected in the next decade and explaining the situation to them. Chances are some of them will have a family member loose a pet to contaminated food (or over vaccination) in the next 5 years and that will help propel this movement forward. FYI It’s taken 40 years to get Congress to address Lyme disease , force the CDC to take action, and cough up money. We are in this for the long run!
Susan Thixton
January 13, 2020 at 4:10 pm
I sent FDA an email this morning providing them with all of this information. So they are fully aware now (as of today).
~ Pet Owner ~
January 13, 2020 at 5:33 pm
Surely these members must know the transparency that the FOIA enables. Therefore is their written communication intended to be received as open warfare? Or ignorant contemptuousness? Are they rallying around one another exactly to ensure everyone is towing the line, because few ever defect from the group. My impression is that their behavior is similar to every government agencies’ (and on behalf of those “industry” memberships protected by them) by never admonishing misdirection and pointed insults. Those in private industry would clearly be fired.
Do they have any clue how much they’re (not only) inflaming the masses, but have completely discredited their organization. AAFCO has turned into a meaningless notation on PF packaging. Congratulations on your sheer stupidity.
Faith Jones
January 13, 2020 at 11:01 pm
Susan, you’re amazing at uncovering all the true feelings of AAFCO and FDA. I guess they have nothing better to do then spy on Facebook and make fun of consumers! I wish there was something positive we could do. They find humor in our letters. I know my dog eats healthy food, but worry about other pets.
Marilyn Kopp
January 14, 2020 at 10:50 am
Please see the Documentary “What the Health” on Netflix. Our food is no better than pet food. Maybe if our law makers are shown how the FDA is allowing all life to be poisoned even children, those in power might take notice. Watch what the FDA allows big producers to do to our meat, chicken and fish and milk. It is terrifying Also, Processed meats are poison and shorten your life and cow’s milk is mostly pus. Take a look at how the American Diabetes Assoc., The American Cancer Society, Susan G. Koken, and THE FDA take money from producers so they can turn a blind eye. Please Please watch this documentary. Also see Cowspiracy.
~ Reader ~
January 14, 2020 at 2:56 pm
Also see FOOD, INC. They all have the same message.
Here’s the thing. If every politician or agency member (AAFCO, FDA) had to run (or insure their tenure) based on what they actually did, or had the chance to do but didn’t in terms of reform (and not on their promises and network support) then progress might be made.
Until that happens, don’t expect change.