Unlike any other AAFCO meeting, the voice for pet food consumers is loud at this meeting. What tremendous people I’ve met – that are all here for the same cause. Safe pet food.
Always at AAFCO meetings I wish all of you could be a fly on the wall watching the goings on. This meeting is no exception. After the opening session, our group of consumer advocates got to meet face to face – and we certainly bonded over our collective cause.
We were: Dr. Jean Hofve, Mollie Morrissette, Dr. Karen Becker, Dr. Judy Morgan, Nina Wolf, Rodney Habib and myself. We’d never all met – but all of a sudden here we were sitting side by side in an AAFCO meeting. It was thrilling – honestly thrilling. There was nothing much for us to participate in during the morning sessions, we left the building to have a bit of privacy and to officially meet. And the conversations were empowering.
I can tell you I got goosebumps on several occasions listening to these brilliant people. They were here, ready to fight, and were eager to begin the battle. In the afternoon session, our first battle began.
This session was ‘Enforcement Issues Committee’ – basically this meeting is AAFCO officials who are also State Department of Agriculture representatives and FDA representatives discussing what needs to be enforced within pet food regulation. The topic of this session was submitted by Dr. Jean Hofve and it addressed numerous recent studies of pet food where protein sources listed on the label were not found in the pet food.
After the AAFCO folks introduced the topic, Dr. Hofve spoke to give the committee members information as to why enforcement of what’s on the pet food label should be in the pet food – why it means so much to consumers. She was perfect. I followed sharing with the committee I brought with me 78,000 signatures from consumers all saying they want to know what they are buying. Nina Wolf spoke sharing with the committee how difficult it is for independent store owners to aid their customers in choosing the right food not being able to trust the pet food label. Dr. Judy Morgan gave a very passionate statement to the committee reminding all of us that pets can die because of needless allergic reactions. Dr. Karen Becker faced the committee several times during this session asking the committee to raise the bar.
Honestly, I wanted to stand and applaud each of them after they spoke to the AAFCO committee. They were fantastic! We certainly tried to share with the committee the importance of enforcing the pet food industry – now we hope they will listen. (I will provide more details after I return and go through my notes.)
Today is a very busy day. Pet Food Committee and Ingredient Definitions Committee along with our meeting with FDA. I will provide all with details of everything once I return home. I just wanted all of you to know we are here – and in force. We have more consumer advocates arriving this morning. Reminder – you can listen in to both meetings today – click here for details.
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
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 3000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com
The 2015 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here
Have you read Buyer Beware? Click Here
Cooking for pets made easy, Dinner PAWsible
Find Healthy Pet Foods in Your Area Click Here
Linda
August 4, 2015 at 10:21 am
0n behalf of our beloved pets we so appreciate your efforts!
Lisa Hayes
August 4, 2015 at 10:22 am
I applaud you all for taking this stand for all of us, both 2 and 4 legged. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I not only have goosebumps as well, but also tears of relief and confidence, that finally, change can occur; but also for the countless who have suffered and lost the battle and those that might not live to see fruition of your efforts. Again, thank you.
Mark Morton
August 4, 2015 at 10:55 am
“Thank you!” pet food warriors!
Hope
August 4, 2015 at 11:05 am
Reading, listening and grateful for you and the others who care so deeply and intelligently. Thank you Susan!
Cora VandeKar
August 4, 2015 at 11:31 am
Thank you Susan..
All very respected names! Glad you all met as I follow every one of them..
Respect.. go get um! 🙂
Brenda Boutin
August 4, 2015 at 12:49 pm
Good job. I hope this is the beginning of higher standards and compliance
Joy Gaston
August 4, 2015 at 1:08 pm
What a great team to represent us customers. Thanks so much.
Beth Marousek
August 4, 2015 at 1:19 pm
Thanks for taking time from your schedule to keep us posted. Truly appreciated!
Pacific Sun
August 4, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Finally, just to have the kind of supporting partners you’ve identified in the article is such a testament to your tenacity and dedication to the advocacy effort for the last 8 years.
You’ve set such an outstanding example of never giving up, no matter how daunting your presence has been at AAFCO and FDA meetings, and how you’ve been so rudely treated! At last a united front of co-supporters which AAFCO will have a much harder time ignoring and discounting this time. You and fellow subject matter and experienced experts actually know what you’re talking about and will staunchly stand up for your recommendations. At least you are all witnesses to one another (in person) as to the treatment you’ll be receiving (overtly or covertly). And this time, regarding how they react to you – nobody can say that it is misperception or just personality anymore!!
Thank you for all that you do for the love of our companions!
All of this is so important for the “record” and with 78,000 signatures behind you, they will know that consumers are watching!!
Sandra Murphey
August 4, 2015 at 1:50 pm
Susan, Thank you for keeping us in the loop and letting us know who’s with you. So many of us are hoping for changes because “Animal Lives Matter” and so many have been lost needlessly.
Jo
August 4, 2015 at 7:26 pm
BRAVO! What a great team effort! Thank you, everyone! I look forward to more reports, Susan! Go get ’em, gal!
Cheryl Mallon-Bond
August 4, 2015 at 8:28 pm
Thank you for the update Susan. I was excited to hear of all the others that joined you at this important meeting! With more advocates there by your side I am sure it felt good to feel the power & comradarie of everyone being there to fight the good fight! I hope that AAFCO, State Dept of Agriculture, &The FDA, start taking seriously!!!! that we are ALL not going away! & we are going to KEEP DEMANDING that more changes start & continue being made. There needs to FINALLYA be TRUTH & ACCOUNTABILITY from pet food manufacturers! We consumers have the RIGHT to know what we are buying & feeding our pets!, and like Dr. Karen Becker repeated….the bar needs to be raised… SIGNIFICANTLY! I was a little surprised with all the pet loving people in just the USA alone, that more people did not sign the petition; 78,000 IS a lot of people, but pet lovers need to do better! We have to find a way to get MILLIONS of signatures & we must figure out a way to get this done! I am looking forward to hearing the newest Update as soon as you are able to decipher through all your notes. Thanks again Susan, Dr. Hovfe, Dr. Becker, Dr. Morgan, Ms. Morrissette, Ms. Wolfe, & Mr. Habib for championing our cause to help protect our beloved animals from the LIES of pet “feed” manufacturers! On another note Susan, I am hoping that you & all of these other advocates can help to convince pet food manufacturers to STOP using CARAGEENAN in the manufacturing of pet foods across the board. After researching a TON of brands, I am HORRIFIED that even TOP PREMIUM BRANDS, who’s food in expensive ! are using CARAGEENAN. This has got to STOP!!!!!
Cheryl
August 4, 2015 at 9:20 pm
Susan,
THANK you so much for all that you are doing and posting! You are such an inspiration and I appreciate you and all the others taking our voices to the meetings. I am looking forward to reading more. Be blessed and know I am appreciative of all that you are doing.
Terri Janson
August 5, 2015 at 12:29 pm
All is can say is BRAVO!!!!! Sounds great! Thank you Susan! :))))
Tammy Garrison
August 8, 2015 at 1:39 pm
Susan, I’m frustrated, and I don’t know what to do. Surely there is someone we can go to, can speak to. Is contacting our congressperson the person we should write to? What? Who?
Tammy
Susan Thixton
August 8, 2015 at 2:44 pm
I understand your frustration. We do need elected officials to realize what actually pets and livestock animals are eating – I’m confident they don’t have a clue. I also believe we need the large consumer advocate groups – such as Food and Water Watch and Center for Science in the Public Interest – to be at these meetings. I’ve asked and asked them in the past, but so far no luck. Hopefully Dr. Karen Becker will be able to nudge them to go. We need scientists there that can go toe to toe with industry and challenge them – providing the science that proves the risks involved. The bad news is, we didn’t get into this mess overnight, and it is not going to be corrected overnight. We have to keep being there – growing in numbers at each meeting – and hold them accountable. One meeting at a time.