New federal guidelines to protect pet food

• Requires new pet food safety systems and measures -- including new standards for processing, ingredient, and labeling standards
• Strengthens FDA (development of the Food Protection Plan, which suggests that the FDA use science and a risk-based approach to ensure the safety of domestic and imported foods)
• Provides for third-party inspections (agreement between the U.S. and China that gives inspectors access to Chinese factories)
• Ensures better information during a recall with searchable public database

Be an informed consumer:

• Keep up with available information on associations and government regulatory Web sites as well as the media
Good Web Sites:
• Food and Drug Administration: www.fda.gov
• American Veterinary Medical Association: www.avma.gov
• Develop a relationship with the store you buy your pet food from. They will have information on products and recalls that may be going on.
• Ask your vet. Your vet should be the conduit to your pet's health and nutrition.

• petfoodindustry.com
• fda.gov
• avma.org