IRS Scandal & FDA

Representative Mike Kelly (R PA) blasted the outgoing Internal Revenue Commissioner in recent Congressional hearings.  His words to IRS received cheers and applause.  Take five minutes to listen to Representative Mike Kelly, take out the words IRS and insert FDA…and you know what?  The exact same government agency doing “just about anything you want” applies equally to FDA.

Representative Kelly said “This kind of reconfirms that, you know what, they [the IRS] can do almost anything they want to anybody they want, anytime they want. This is very chilling for the American people.”

Take out IRS, insert FDA…’the FDA can do almost anything they want to anybody they want, anytime they want.’

Evidence of FDA doing anything it wants…

Federal law (the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) prohibits food (human food or animal food Section 201 f) to contain any part of an animal that has died other than by slaughter (Section 402 a5).  But the FDA doesn’t want to enforce these laws with pet food/animal food.  Instead the FDA allows pet foods/animals foods to contain rendered (cooked) diseased animals or euthanized animals (CPG Sec. 675.400, CPG Sec. 690.300).  Instead of the FDA enforcing federal law to protect pet food consumers, the agency allows industry to dump all types of waste into pet foods/animal foods without consumer knowledge (CPG Sec. 675.100, CPG Sec. 675.200, CPG Sec. 675.300).

(Quote from Representative Kelly) “Is there any limit to the scope of where you folks can go?”

I think allowing rendered euthanized animals, chemical and drug contaminated ingredients into pet foods without consumer knowledge pretty much proves there is no limit to where FDA can go.

One more…
(Quote from Representative Kelly) “And when the IRS [insert FDA here] comes in, you’re not allowed to be shoddy, you’re not allowed to be run horribly, you’re not allowed to make mistakes, you’re not allowed to do one damn thing that doesn’t come in compliance. If you do, you’re held responsible right then.”

The FDA forced a U.S. jerky treat manufacturer to recall because of Salmonella (with no pet deaths associated) holding them to the absolute fullest extent of the law.  Yet they allowed Chinese jerky treat manufacturers to export into the US for years when the companies were in violation of the Bioterrorism Act (with thousands of pet deaths and illnesses associated).

The following letter was sent to Representative Kelly…

Dear Representative Kelly,
I would like to thank you for your direct and honest words to outgoing Internal Revenue Commissioner Steven Miller.  You spoke the truth, and we need that from our Representatives in Washington.

While we are (hopefully) cleaning house with our government agencies, I hope you take a close look at the brief evidence provided below with regards to another government agency – the FDA – that almost identically corrupt as the public is learning the IRS has been.

The FDA allows pet foods/animal foods to violate federal food safety law.  Please take a moment to read the follow quotes from the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and FDA Compliance Policy Guidelines…

Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act
Section 201 (f) provides the definition of food: “The term ‘food’ means (1) articles used for food or drink for man or other animals, (2) chewing gum, and (3) articles used for components of any such article.”
Section 402 Adulterated food:  “A food shall be deemed to be adulterated – (a) Poisonous, insanitary, or deleterious ingredients.” (a)(5) “if it is, in whole or in part, the product of a diseased animal or of an animal which has died otherwise than by slaughter;”

FDA Compliance Policy CPG Sec. 675.400
“No regulatory action will be considered for animal feed ingredients resulting from the ordinary rendering process of industry, including those using animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, provided they are not otherwise in violation of the law.”

FDA Compliance Policy CPG Sec. 690.300
“Pet food consisting of material from diseased animals or animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, which is in violation of 402(a)(5) will not ordinarily be actionable, if it is not otherwise in violation of the law. It will be considered fit for animal consumption.”

A quote from your statement to IRS “This kind of reconfirms that, you know what, they [the IRS] can do almost anything they want to anybody they want, anytime they want. This is very chilling for the American people.”  Replace IRS with FDA – and the same ‘this is very chilling for the American people’ applies.

The FDA has become an authority at selective enforcement, picking and choosing which federal laws they wish to implement.   While the actions of the IRS can put a company out of business, the FDA’s selective enforcement enables industry to mislead American consumers and can kill pets.  Please hold FDA accountable.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible

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