News | December 5, 2024
AAFCO Board Votes to Recommend KSO Proposal to Members
At the 2024 Annual Meeting in August, AAFCO membership passed resolution 2024-002 in response to the expiration of the association’s MOU with the FDA. This resolution granted a board-established task force to explore the possibility of creating a new state-led regulatory pathway for animal food ingredients. On October 1, AAFCO announced a proposal for consideration in partnership with Kansas State University’s K-State Olathe Innovation Campus (KSO). The proposal outlines how KSO could serve as a new scientific and technical advisor and assist AAFCO in reviewing ingredients through the newly proposed regulatory pathway. The task force reviewed public comments earlier this fall and made minor changes to the proposal.
We are excited to share that the AAFCO Board of Directors unanimously voted to recommend the KSO proposal to membership for consideration at the upcoming 2025 Midyear Meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas. This proposal will be one of the most significant topics that AAFCO membership will vote on. If passed, it will create an entirely new process to bring ingredients to the market in the United States and will do so more efficiently than the other federal processes that exist today.
It’s an exciting opportunity for AAFCO, and we believe it’s not a coincidence that state regulators are leading the charge to provide the industry with a process that promotes innovation in the ingredient space, while still having common sense protections in place that ensure safety.
AAFCO leadership will be participating in a call with NASDA members on December 13th to explain the final KSO proposal and answer questions. It’s immensely important that we are in lockstep with our elected or appointed leaders so they understand that this proposal complements the already established FDA GRAS Notice program and isn’t something that should compete or conflict with FDA. We strongly encourage all AAFCO members to have one on one conversations with your Commissioners, Directors or Secretaries before this date to ensure they understand the proposal and what you will be voting on at the Midyear Meeting in January.