State Spotlight: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

We sat down with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to learn about their Feed and Fertilizer Bureau.

Tell us a little about your state’s feed program.

The Feed & Fertilizer Bureau has 14 employees and oversees feed, fertilizer, aglime, and eggs. Eleven staff members serve in field roles and are trained to conduct inspections across all product lines. The entire feed staff is trained and capable of conducting all FDA inspections.

Can you share a recent success or a challenge your program has overcome?

One recent success has been helping train industry staff by sponsoring and funding PCQI training. To date, more than 80 industry professionals have completed the required training through this effort.

What is a recent achievement by your program or state agency that you are most proud of?

Iowa completes more FDA inspections each year than any other state. This year, the program will inspect around 215 facilities under FDA contract.

How is your program involved in AAFCO?

The program remains actively involved in AAFCO through leadership, training, and meeting participation. Staff engage in AITS and BITS training for new hires, participate in the AAFCO seminar, and have presented at several AAFCO meetings.

How has your state begun adopting PFLM?

Iowa currently accepts PFLM labels by policy and is in the process of drafting new rules to reflect PFLM requirements.

Are there any other state initiatives you would like to highlight to AAFCO members?

Iowa places a strong emphasis on education before enforcement. Inspectors work directly with facilities to support compliance rather than immediately issuing violations. For issues that are not considered high-risk, concerns are documented in inspection notes and followed up on within a few months to help facilities come into compliance. If improvement does not occur after coaching and follow-up, the formal violation process may begin, though that step is rarely needed.