In the last several months, there has been concern about public health safety as reports of avian influenza virus is being reported in cattle and milk. There are also reports of cats being sickened on farms where avian influenza is active.
The FDA has stated “USDA is confident that the meat supply is safe. USDA has a rigorous meat inspection process, which includes Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) veterinarians who are present at all federal livestock slaughter facilities. FSIS personnel inspect each animal before slaughter, and all cattle carcasses must pass a second inspection after slaughter and be determined to be fit to enter the human food supply.”
Per the FDA statement, USDA-inspected meat intended for human consumption does not appear to carry risk of avian flu. Consumers should have confidence in purchasing pet food from companies using only meat that has passed USDA inspection for human consumption. NGPFMA encourages concerned pet owners to contact their manufacturer for information concerning their meat sourcing.
Want to read more?
Article 1- Pet Food Industry
Article 2- National Center for Biotechnology Information
Article 3- American Academy of Pediatrics News
Article 4- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Article 5- Miller’s Bio Farm
Article 6- The Weston A. Price Foundation
Article 7- Coleman Scientific Consulting
Article 8- Coleman Scientific Consulting
Article 9- Farm to Consumer
