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Exceeding FDA Guidance

The Safe Feed/Safe Food (SF/SF) certification program exceeds industry regulatory requirements and serves as a complement to the Food and Drug Administration’s new risk assessment approach. As such, FDA officials have said that the program can be used as a “model” for feed and pet food companies looking to achieve their goal of providing safe, healthy feed and pet food for their customers. They have also found that participating facilities often have fewer and shorter inspections, a factor taken into account when determining their risk profiles.

Learn more in our chart below:

AFIA’s Safe Feed/Safe Food Third Party Certification Program
Has "Raised the Industry Bar" Beyond Regulatory Requirements
for Non-Medicated Feed and Ingredients

  Black     Meets Regulatory Requirements

  Green     Exceeds Regulatory Requirements

1 A Food/Feed Safety policy has been defined, reviewed and implemented by top management. Has the policy been communicated to each employee?  
2 Document control procedures are in place, and documents are accessible to appropriate personnel.  
3 The physical and chemical Feed Safety Hazards in the AFIA Hazard Guide have been identified, reviewed, and have control procedures, where applicable.  
4 Records retention procedures are defined and followed. Records must be maintained for one year from date of manufacture of finished product or receipt of ingredients.  
5 The following records are maintained as appropriate to the product: (BSE feed rule, medicated feed, formula/mixing instructions, production records, drug assays, and label files).  
6 Responsible personnel review the following: audit results, customer feedback, process performance and product conformity, status of preventive and corrective actions, follow-up action from previous management reviews, planned changes that could affect the food/feed system and recommendations for improvement.).  

1 Personnel are competent for assigned tasks and received initial training and at least annual recertification.  
2 Job descriptions are maintained that include the responsibility and skills required by the employee to complete the job. The employee is evaluated to determine knowledge of the required skill.  
3 Personnel are properly trained in SOP's for restricted areas, and where appropriate, to avoid contamination or carryover from internal or external sources.  

1 A team has been formed to identify, evaluate, and control feed and food safety hazards.  
2 Check points where hazards may enter the facility are identified and controlled.  
3 Verification, monitoring, inspection, and test activities have been determined specific to the need of the product.  

1 Records are maintained for each product which includes the supplier approval process, product specifications, formulation, label, and special manufacturing instructions.  
2 Procedures exist to monitor and measure the manufacturing processes.  
3 Procedures exist and are implemented to compare expected and theoretical results and to reconcile any differences. [see section J.]  

1 Monitoring procedures have been established to evaluate incoming raw materials and finished products, where appropriate.  
2 Scheduled monitoring activities have been established and should include incoming raw material evaluation and finished product evaluation.  
3 Ingredient and finished product assays are performed on a scheduled basis, where appropriate.  
4 Check points where hazards may enter the facility are indentified and controlled.  
5 Verification, monitoring, inspection, and test activities have been determined specific to the need of the product.  

1 Procedures exist for the review and evaluation by the feed safety team of feed and food safety hazards in the event of new or changed facilities or equipment.  
2 Buildings, equipment and grounds are adequately and routinely maintained.  
3 Scales and liquid metering devices are tested/calibrated upon installation and at least annually thereafter.  
4 Buildings are of suitable construction to minimize access by pests. A written pest control program exists and a record of pest control products used in the facility is maintained.  
5 Buildings provide adequate space and lighting.  
6 Equipment possesses the capability to produce a homogenous product that prevents, eliminates, or reduces identified food/feed safety hazards. A procedure to test the mixer has been developed and includes corrective action to be taken when necessary. Mixers are tested/calibrated upon installation and annually thereafter.  
7 All equipment is of suitable size, design, construction, precision, and accuracy for its intended use.  
8 All equipment is maintained to prevent lubricants and coolants introduction as unapproved additives to finished products. Where contact may be possible food grade products are used.  
9 All equipment is designed, constructed, and maintained to facilitate inspection by the operator and the use of cleanout procedures when required.  
10 Work areas and equipment used for the manufacture and storage of ingredients and feed are kept separate from agrichemicals.  
11 Procedures exist and are implemented to insure all equipment is routinely and properly cleaned to prevent contamination of feed and ingredients.  
12 Adequate procedures are established and used for all equipment in the production and distribution of ingredients and products to avoid contamination of feed and ingredients.  
13 Procedures are established to ensure a biosecure workplace and the firm is following the AFIA "Guide to Biosecurity Awareness" program.  

1 Certification for compliance to 21 CFR 589.2000 is provided by suppliers where appropriate.  
2 Procedures are in place to monitor, qualify, and disqualify suppliers on a scheduled basis and an approved supplier lists exist.  
3 Procedures for conveyance of raw materials to plant are in place to ensure identification of food/feed safety hazards. Suppliers and transportation companies have agreed to cleanout procedure requirements for transportation vehicles. A truck receiving log is maintained documenting cleanout and prior cargo in the truck.  
4 Suppliers are required to place a safety seal on incoming rail cars or trucks. A policy to handle broken bags has been developed and is being followed.  

1 Finished product is properly packaged and labeled for traceability (e.g. production codes), and other label regulatory requirements.  
2 Procedures for product traceability as required by the AFIA Safe Feed/Safe Food Guidelines are documented and implemented and the firm is complying with the FDA's Bioterrorism Act recordkeeping rules.  
3 Bagged ingredients are stored in either original containers or containers with lot numbers for traceability and identification and controlled in mixing areas. Bulk ingredients are controlled in a similar manner, as appropriate.  
4 A sample retention program is defined and implemented. Retained samples are stored in an area away from production that minimizes the potential for contamination.  
5 Daily inventories of drugs are maintained.  
6 Procedures for proper storage to avoid contamination are established for both raw materials, ingredients and finished products.  

1 Product specifications are defined within customer and regulatory requirements.  
2 Procedures for customers' feedback and complaints are in place.  

1 Procedures to control non-conforming product have been established and implemented.