Supplier safety and the U.S. market

Safe and trustworthy suppliers

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2015 spending on pet food increased 22.5% over 2014, and total U.S. pet food sending reached $24.49 (€20.36) billion. The Pet Food Institute (PFI), the trade association for U.S. pet food makers, recognizes that the international ingredient suppliers are critical to U.S. pet food makers’ ability to produce safe, high quality pet food and treats. Our member companies make 98% of U.S. pet food products and treat products and many of these companies rely on their safe and trustworthy international suppliers. 

Food safety modernization act

The makers of human and animal food in the U.S. face an evolving legislative and regulatory landscape that will further solidify their relationships with ingredient suppliers. In 2011, President Obama signed into law the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which ushered in sweeping safety changes to the U.S. food system – including pet food. FSMA requires pet food makers to take a preventive approach to identifying and addressing potential safety hazards, placing less emphasis on the recall as a food safety risk mitigation measure, and further enhances and codifies the established safety protocols of PFI members. Certain provisions and compliance deadlines are now in place and underway for U.S. animal food makers. FSMA also obligates U.S. importers to take steps to ensure the foods they import are produced in manners consistent with those required of U.S. food producers. These regulations enter into force in the coming years and parallel the requirements human and animal food producers must meet with respect to their domestic suppliers. 

Role of international suppliers

A significant new component of FSMA is the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP), which impacts all U.S. food makers that source finished foods, ingredients and raw materials from abroad. Under FSVP, the importers of these foods or ingredients must work closely with their suppliers to ensure they are produced in a manner that provides the same level of public health protection as required for foods and ingredients produced in the U.S. The onus is on the importer to carefully select and work with their international suppliers. Compliance will involve meeting new recordkeeping requirements to demonstrate importer oversight of imported foods and foreign suppliers. 

Importer and exporter requirements

As organizations subject to FSMA and the FSVP, U.S. pet food makers who import ingredients will be required to closely monitor and ensure the safety practices of their foreign suppliers. This can include on-site audits, sampling and testing of imported goods, and reviewing supplier records. U.S. importers – or an identified third party – can conduct annual inspections of these foreign suppliers. While final responsibility for FSVP compliance lies with U.S. importers, foreign suppliers with a record of supplying food that does not meet U.S. regulatory requirements can be subjected to greater scrutiny or even denied entry to the U.S. market.

Preparation is key

It is critical for ingredient suppliers, whether in the U.S. or abroad, to prepare now for enforcement of the FSVP, which is scheduled to begin in April 2017. Documentation is key for foreign suppliers seeking to export goods to the U.S. – they must provide their importers with records confirming the steps taken to ensure food safety. Suppliers should expect to interact closely with their U.S. importer, who is charged with meeting FSVP requirements. 

Meeting our commitment to safety

As the voice of U.S. pet food makers, PFI supports a smooth operational transition for our members during FSMA enforcement. We urge international suppliers to prepare for this important new phase and advancement in ensuring product safety. As international companies consider their opportunities in the dynamic U.S. pet food market, PFI reminds them of our industry’s dedication to safety and our ongoing commitment to supporting long and healthy lives for pets.