PET Food Processing - March 2020 - 33

REGULATORY

building

on success
Celebrating a strong year for the animal food
industry and setting up for success in 2020.
By Constance Cullman | American Feed Industry Association, president and CEO

It certainly is shaping up to be a busy year for the
American Feed Industry Association (AFIA). At the end
of 2019, our first bit of good news came when Congress
passed a budget that provided the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) funding to support efficiencies
for animal food ingredient reviews. We then began 2020
with two huge wins in trade - the China Phase 1 and the
US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

US-Mexico-Canada agreement
If you are connected to American agriculture, chances
are the USMCA is a high priority for you. The US animal
food manufacturing industry depends on the free-trade
access it enjoys with Canada and Mexico. Exports of feed
ingredients, feed and pet food have more than quadrupled since the North American Free Trade Agreement's
(NAFTA) implementation, growing from roughly $669
million in 1993 to more than $3.2 billion today. In 2018,
nearly 50% of US pet food exports went to Mexico and
Canada. USMCA builds on the success of NAFTA by facilitating greater market access, regulatory transparency
and accountability among the three trading partners.
AFIA looks forward to working with the US government
on the implementation of USMCA in 2020.

China Phase 1 agreement
The same week in early January USMCA passed Congress,
President Trump signed the historic phase one economic

and trade agreement with China. The US animal food
manufacturing industry faces a number of challenges in
China, including those which have prevented any new US
feed additive and premix products from being exported
to China since 2011 and restrictions on US feed products
with ruminant-origin ingredients, as well as a number of
poultry-derived ingredients.
This agreement directly addresses these barriers by
streamlining a facility registration process for feed additives, premixes and compound feed, as well as lifting
the poultry and ruminant ban for animal food products
- including pet food. As a result, we expect US animal
food product exports to China to boom. As part of the
deal, China will be expected to purchase and import
$200 billion worth of agricultural products, manufactured goods, energy resources and services from the US
between Jan. 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2021. Over the twoyear period, China must purchase at least $32 billion in
US agricultural products, which includes pet food, animal feed, premix and ingredients.

Improved trade relations in recent months
are expected to boost
US animal food product exports, including
pet food.
©Kalyakan - stock.adobe.com

Food Safety Modernization Act
The time has come. As of Sept. 17, 2019, all animal food
manufacturing facilities, regardless of their size, are required to be in compliance with all parts of the FSMA animal food rule. Inspections have followed a similar phase-in
to allow the industry appropriate time to implement the
regulations and provide adequate training for inspectors.

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PET Food Processing - March 2020

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