Animal Food Industry Unites to Host First-Ever PCQI Instructor Training for FSMA Compliance
WASHINGTON – In ongoing efforts to prepare animal food organizations for the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the three leading animal food industry trade associations hosted the first-ever Food Safety Preventive Control Alliance (FSPCA) lead instructor training for the preventive controls for animal food on July 26-29.
The American Feed Industry Association, the National Grain and Feed Association, and the Pet Food Institute, in conjunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), brought together a capacity crowd of 75 individuals from 60 animal feed companies to participate in the training. The course covered the standardized curriculum recognized by FDA as being adequate for training preventive controls qualified individuals (PCQI) under FDA’s final rules implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), as well as instruction on how to teach the course.
“FDA’s rules implementing FSMA require that at least one preventive controls qualified individual be determined for each facility. The PCQI lead instructor program educates those identified individuals who, upon successful completion, will be able to train others,” said the three associations.
“The event exceeded expectations,” stated the trade groups. “Many attendees commented on the importance of the break-out sessions to further discuss sample plans and the benefits of networking with other industry colleagues during the training.”
Fifteen percent of the companies represented at the training were from pet food manufacturing companies, 30 percent from animal feed manufacturing firms, 30 percent from ingredient suppliers, 10 percent from premix manufacturing companies and 25 percent from companies that are general service providers for the animal food industry. Several companies represented more than one segment of the industry.
AFIA, NGFA and PFI will continue to provide FSMA training opportunities for the animal food industry in the weeks and months leading up to the various compliance dates.
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About AFIA: The American Feed Industry Association, based in Arlington, Va., is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to representing the business, legislative and regulatory interests of the U.S. animal feed industry and its suppliers. Founded in 1909, the organization membership is comprised of the total feed industry-from commercial and integrated feed manufacturers, to ingredient suppliers, pet food manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, industry support and equipment manufacturers. AFIA is also the recognized leader on international industry developments and holds membership in the International Feed Industry Federation. Members include more than 600 domestic and international companies. More than 75 percent of the feed and 70 percent of the non-grain ingredients including soybean meal, distillers co-products, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, yeast products and other miscellaneous/specialty ingredients in the U.S. are manufactured by AFIA members.
About NGFA: The NGFA, established in 1896, consists of more than 1,050 grain, feed, processing, exporting and other grain-related companies that operate more than 7,000 facilities and handle more than 70 percent of all U.S. grains and oilseeds. Its membership includes grain elevators; feed and feed ingredient manufacturers; biofuels companies; grain and oilseed processors and millers; exporters; livestock and poultry integrators; and associated firms that provide goods and services to the nation’s grain, feed and processing industry. The NGFA also consists of 26 affiliated State and Regional Grain and Feed Associations, and has strategic alliances with Pet Food Institute and North American Export Grain Association.
About PFI: Since 1958, the Pet Food Institute has been the voice of the U.S. pet food industry. PFI is the industry’s representative before Congress and state legislatures, as well as state and federal agencies; public education and media relations resource; organizer of seminars and educational programs; and liaison with other organizations. PFI represents the companies that make 98 percent of U.S. dog and cat food, an industry with more than $20 billion in U.S. retail sales and $1.3 billion in exports in 2015.