Innovative FEED Act Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development Act of 2023
By clearly defining zootechnical animal food substances, the bill aims to streamline the regulatory process for new products aiming to enhance animal productivity and food safety. This clarification will potentially lead to greater innovation in the animal feed industry, allowing manufacturers to bring products to market more efficiently. The regulation under this act would allow for the substances to be treated as food additives, which could reduce the bottleneck experienced under previous classifications and regulations that may have categorized similar offerings as drugs.
SB1842, known as the Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development Act of 2023, aims to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act concerning the regulation of zootechnical animal food substances. The bill provides a specific definition for what constitutes a zootechnical animal food substance, focusing on its purpose and the manner in which it interacts with the animal's digestive processes. The legislation seeks to enhance the approval and regulatory landscape for such substances, which are designed to improve animal health, reduce pathogens, and modify physiological functions without being classified as drugs.
One notable point of contention may arise from the balance of safety and efficacy of these zootechnical substances. Stakeholders in the animal agriculture sector, while supportive of the potential for innovation, may raise concerns regarding the thoroughness of safety assessments required before these substances can be commercially used. Additionally, there may be discussions about the implications of such products on existing food safety structures, and whether existing guidelines will adequately protect animal health as well as human health considering the close relationship between animal and human food safety.